This past week, we went to Alessandro Sciarroni’s performance of “Folk-s, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” This upbeat folk performance started off with one repetitive combination of stomping, clapping, and knee slapping, and continued for about two hours in time. In response to Jaimee’s blog, I agree with most of what he had to say. I found it interesting how Jaimee compared the performance to a “loose narrative” I never really thought of it in that way. But thinking back, It really did have the format of a story as the show went on. It started with the introduction of the repeated step, various interactions with the performers, and one by one each would leave the stage as they pleased.

I also agree about the rigor of the dance as well. Throughout the show, especially from sitting in the first row, you were able to see the sweat literally dripping off of the dancers head, and pools of sweat visibly growing through their shirts. I was also able to notice the thighs of the dancers progressively turn red near the bottoms of their shorts from the continuous thigh slapping. It seemed extremely physically demanding and to have to do that for two hours, repeating the same steps over and over again I give them so much credit.

I found it interesting that Sciarroni, the choreographer, was the first to leave the stage. I was also wondering if EVERYTHING in the show was choreographed. It seemed like the dancers chose when they wanted to leave the stage. I liked the parts during the performance when the dancers would all just look at each other and laugh or try not to laugh. It made the audience laugh and created a connection between us and the performers. I really enjoyed the fact that they played themselves as characters and weren’t trying to be anyone else. Their roles and the closeness of the theater made the show a very personal experience.

It was also extremely impressive, as Jaimee stated, that their own rhythm’s and dance moves were the music for most of the show. Also, regardless of what song they would play, they were able to continue their competed synchronized rhythm’s without so much as a stutter. As a dancer, I know that this is very difficult to put the same steps, keeping the same beat, to a completely different song. Whether the music was folk music, electronic music, or pop music, they were able to continue their seamless combination of movements without any difficulty at all.

The only criticism I had, is actually the same one Jaimee had, I felt that at points the show did in fact drag on. I would find myself getting distracted and looking around while the same moves were continuously repeated. I felt like I knew what would happen next because it was the same beat and dance steps that had gone on for the 15mins prior with only small changes in location of the dancers. However, the few times the performers did change it up, it was even more obvious that they did because it followed the prior repetitiveness. These small changes really added to the show in a major way. It was refreshing to see the dancers to do something different and at points even provided the audience with bits of comic relief.

Overall, the performance was a refreshing change from what we have seen in the past few weeks. I enjoyed that their was music, upbeat dancing, and for once I had a better understanding of what I was watching in front of me. I am also really glad we were able to see a European performance for a change and I am very glad I had the chance to see Sciarroni perform.

-Monica Huzinec