7th Annual MixMatch Dance Festival Rundown

I started to review dance shows one year ago when I wrote about the 6th annual MixMatch Dance Festival hosted by HartPulse Dance Company.  I didn't know at the time that I would keep writing about shows over the course of the year and in the meantime fall in love with dance writing.  You might be interested to know that I am not paid to write any of this. I first started writing because I wanted to support dance; and, until we get a stronger written cannon about the concert dance in the LA area, I believe we will continue to float along under the public radar.  So, I started writing and a year later here I am having just danced in the MixMatch festival and written another article in support of the fantastic dance that took place.

The MixMatch Dance Festival is an open and inclusive dance festival featuring 8 dance styles, 50 choreographers and 70 different dances.  This year it grew to include 5 performances in one weekend, each completely different.  While I wasn't able to attend all 5 shows, I was able to make it to 3 and wanted to share at least a bit of what I enjoyed as part of the festival.  I wish I had time to write about each piece because, every dance had something unique to offer to the diversity of ideas and styles in the festival.  But, considering that I am back in dance class tomorrow at 8 am, I have chosen to cover just a few of the pieces that stood out for me in the shows I saw.

"Spirit of Intention" choreographed by Bay Area dance artist, Anandha Ray and dancers, was a stunning solo performed by Laura Rae Bernasconi.  This fusion of tribal Middle Eastern and modern dance, was unlike anything else in the festival.  The highly stylized and purposeful movement was performed with intensity and honesty. Bernasconi is a commanding performer, bearing her soul to the audience without hesitation through each precisely design gesture. The final roaring exhale evoked a feminine power reminiscent of the goddess Kali herself.  

Friday evening, Anne C. Moore presented a female quartet, entitled "i always choose to misremember."  This contemporary modern work was a feast for the eyes. The dynamism in the choreography and fluid performance by the dancers mesmerized the audience.  This is an example of a movement driven dance success.  While the title hints at a loosely thematic narrative, the power of the piece existed for me in the dancers' ability to engage the audience through the physical and emotional, execution of the rich choreography.

CJ Edwards charmed the audience with his all male hip hop, "The Quest."  These dancers were all very different in physical appliance, yet they had excellent unison in all aspects of space, time and energy.  The circle moment, in which a few of the dancers came to the center to shine in their own way, reminded the audience of the vernacular heritage of hip hop and bridged the gap between social and performance in an easy and effortless way.

The Saturday matinee included, "Fearing the Unkown," choreographed by Mariana Olivera. I had recently seen this piece in the SB ADaPT festival this summer, but seeing it again was an opportunity for me to take note and appreciate the physical risk involved in much of the choreography.  Olivera punctuated the choreography with high risk partnering, including falls, catches and throws that left this audience gasping out loud.  This performance communicated the feeling of helplessness felt by the dancers as they submitted their body weight to each other.

Misa and Stephen Kelly performed their charming and heart warming duet, "Recall is Never Replay."  If you have not seen Misa and Stephen on stage, you should!  This husband and wife duet is quirky and thoughtful, nonsensical and endearing.  The movement and choreographic structure was non traditional, including gestural phrases set to spoken text that seemed related only by chance at times, but it also felt entirely appropriate.  The ending, in which the two slowly entwine in a reclined embrace, wraps up the dada-like piece with a string that can't be explained in words and can only be felt in the gut.

The closing Sunday matinee featured many strong choreographic works, including Tawny Chapman, Artistic director of Leverage Dance.  Chapman presented two distinctly different works. The first, entitled, "Window of Opportunity (Excerpts)," was a modern dance, task-oriented piece performed by nine young dancers in a grid of nine boxes.  The dancers moved through the grid as if in a game, springing, turning, and sliding between the the boxes. This piece created a strong sense of geometry, which the dancers embodied effectively in their mature performance.  The second piece in contrast was entitled The Bitter Earth" and communicated a different tone, although it was performed by many of the same dancers.  This contemporary modern piece was deeply emotional and exquisitely performed by the young women.

Nicole Olsen, choreographed and performed an empowered solo, entitled "Nude."  As the title suggests, the theme of revealing became apparent when Olsen first discarded her sweater.  The piece balanced strength and control with freedom and release.  The release and athletic flow became increasingly present as Olsen shed the layers of her conservative skirt, blouse and tank top, leading the audience up to the moment of ultimate power as she walked upstage taking off her final layer. 

Ashleigh Doede of Nancy Evans Dance Theater presented an excerpt of "Adhere Until. . ." Another audience member said of this piece, "These are the dancers you dream of growing up to be." I have reviewed NEDT before, and as always this performance was technically exquisite and emotionally powerful.  The dancers perform very difficult phrases with a subtle ease that I fear can be missed by an untrained eye.  This particular piece by three women exemplified the solid musicality and physical training that has come to be the thumbprint of NEDT.

"Strings," choreographed and performed by Chihiro Kodama, was a jazz-hip hop-capoeira fusion that was refreshing and playful.  Kodama's choreography and performance integrity rests on his ability to physicalize the music with an intensity and accuracy that is not always seen in contemporary choreography.  His vernacular based movement vocabulary is detailed and precise as well as fun and celebrational. 

Reject Dance Theater presented a few different works over the course of the festival, but I have chosen to speak about Sunday's performance of "Molt" because of the sheer quirkiness of it!  The featured "bird" dancer was a joy to watch in this piece. Her refined movement fit with the proud stance of her bird character.  The other dancers, dressed in fur vests and coats, contrasted the lightness of the bird, with their heavy and loose movement vocabulary.  The motif of the hip slap into what I saw as folded bird wings was so strong for me that I know this piece will resonate with me for a while still.

Festival director, Amanda Hart closed the festival with a duet entitled "Forever." This sweet choreography is characteristic of the strong jazz based choreography (especially male-female partnering) that I have come to expect of Hart's work.  These dancers seemed to authentically enjoy dancing with each other. They were soft and gentle with each other and told the story of falling in love with a conviction that melted the audience. 

Overall the festival was a huge success! 

The Southern Califronia dance community is gaining momentum, with festivals such as MixMatch, ADaPT and Celebrate Dance.  And, the opportunity for choreographers of all genres and backgrounds is greater than ever.  Now is the time to join in the movement and go out to see more dance in your local community.  Take the risk and discover the hidden treasures in your own backyard.  

Did you see the show?
What did you think?
Did you love a dance I didn't mention? (I am sure you did!) Share it here!
Your comments help support dance in LA and Nationwide!

Beth

If you are interested in reading up on Last Years MixMatch click here:

MixMatch Run Down (Aug 26th, 2012)

MixMatch Run Down (Sat Aug 25th, 2012)

Also, if you are interested in seeing one of the dance works presented by Megill & Company for this festival, click here. 
Stop. Listen. Dance.

MixMatch Run Down (Friday Aug 31st, 2012)

Another great show in the 6th Annual MixMatch festival.  This time with a completely different feel and composition of styles and trends from the shoes last week. (Reviews for those shows here: Saturday 25th,  Sunday 26th).

Here are a few of my thoughts on each piece to help foster discussion and support for dance artists in the LA community and beyond. Please feel free to comment and add share your ideas and observations!


Act I
The show opened with a piece by Sara Kempe entitled, "I Wish I Were a Punk Rocker." The cast of all women in floral dresses nicely executed this lyrical/contemporary jazz piece.  There was strong use of musicality and nuance in the choreography. The dancers' unison was quite strong and highlighted by their smiling focus that was committed and enjoyable.

Jenni Kiiholma choreographed and performed in the next duet, "What is most durable in the world."  Kiiholma is a beautiful mover and her agility and flow was a pleasure to watch through out the piece set to Tool and the Deftones.  There was a patience and stability in Kiiholma's performance that I found refreshing. Her partner shared this aesthetic of clear intent, ease and strength. The question that emerged for me was regarding the relationship between the two dancers.  The introduction of the male dancer happened quite a while into the piece, and I wondered about the reasoning behind this as well as the nature of their transition into dancing together.  Nevertheless, I was so pleased with the quality of the dancers' movement that this question did not detract from my enjoyment.

"The Eyes of the World" choreographed by Alexandra de Ochoa of Blackbird Dance Company, introduced a more tribal (Africanist) aesthetic to the show which by chance would resurface again and again in other works.  This particular piece was very clearly animal influenced as the dancers crouched and circled each other between phrases of fluid spines and rhythmic stepping.  The "cat" was a particularly engaged performer, believable in her conviction and presence.  I enjoyed the rhythmic walking pattern with a scoop of the arm that added to the Africanist groove of the piece.

Jessica Kondrath presented a beautiful excerpted solo danced by Devon Reurekamp, entitled "The Art of Breathing." This piece was elegantly designed with awareness to both time and space that captivated the audience.  Kondrath has a special ability to draw the audience's focus where she wants us to look so that we really notice the beauty in Kondrath's choreographic detail.  The performer did justice to these moments with a patience and clarity that was mesmerizing. 

"The Story of Mulan" choreographed by Mary Ann Van De Car and Members of Troupe Zachareet was quite a show, complete with ornate costumes, fans and swords as props, belly dancing coin skirts and break dancers!  This performance group clearly loves to dance and there was a strong sense of community among this mixed racial and multi-generational cast.  The b-boys were particularly enjoyable for me.

The act closed with Amanda Hart's "Flex/Pull," the duet I saw last week, which you can read about here.

Act II

Ami Mattison choreographed "These Letters" which opened the second half of the show.  This quartet was a perfect example of where contemporary jazz practices have evolved.   The quartet was powerful, sexy, and expressive. The dancers were generous in their performance of the challenging material and their attention to dynamic nuance.  The theatrical component of the piece included letters that the dancers crumpled up and threw around in a variety of choreographic situations. This use of paper transformed the piece into a theatrical work that was truly enjoyable for me.    (Note:  I imagine that Mattison might call her work contemporary rather than contemporary jazz, but I wanted to note that this style is different than contemporary in the modern dance genre thus the inclusion of jazz in my categorization of her work).

CHIHIRO KODAMA knocked the socks off of the crowd with his piece, "Re-Construction."  This production (for in fact it was the most theatrically complex piece of the evening) was well crafted and nothing short of a total blast.  The crew of dancers each had incredible skill that was played perfectly in the loose narrative of a man in his electronic world.  The unison moments were excellently timed and the soloing was jaw dropping.  The incorporation of video, magic, acting, flashlights, red light balls, hats and canes made this piece a true stand out.

"Beguiled in the Bajou" choreographed by Maura Townsend of Project21Dance returned the audience to a groove in the Africanist aesthetic that was reminiscent of Katherine Dunham and Alvin Ailey.  This expressive modern dance included a cast of 7 dancers who filled the stage with their "cool" Luisiana energy as they performed with a sense of release, abandon and musicality that makes this style of dance a joy to watch.  The featured female in all white seemed to be conjuring the spirt of the other dancers, whipping them into a frenzy of fluid spines, powerful legs and expressive torsos. 

Irene Watson, brought laughs to the stage in her playful and outright funny duet entitled "Ooohdalollie."  Watson, measuring up at what I imagine can be no more than 5 feet, and her tall partner, who seemed to tower over her, were funny from the start. The over sized lollipop that changed hands countless times as they fought over it, seemed to me to be the real heart of the piece. In some ways the lollipop seemed to have a mind of its own and its presence was the sole reason for the incredible and funny movement that came out of the dancers.  The way her partner, Jarred Laos, flung her about in there pink petticoat was a hoot. 

Noelle Andressen presented her third piece in the festival "Emergence."  This group piece utilized sheer sacks in which the dancers started with illumination from a flameless tea light.  The sacks were then taken off and wrapped around the dancers into sarong style dresses or skirts, thus literally conveying the title concept of emergence.  I wonder however if the theme of emergence could be taken further; this group of dancers that included a variety of technical levels and body shapes were also emerging from the stereotypes of what types of bodes and what levels of experience are needed to create dance works.  One of the most stunning moments for me was a very simple slow walk that was performed in the background of the piece by two of the dancers. The dancers' focus in this very simple choreographic moment was beautiful for me and proved again that dancers of all levels and body types deserve an opportunity to express themselves through movement.

My piece "Pull & Draft" (Megill & Company) was second to last in the concert.  My trio of dancers performed very well considering it is a "big" dance that didn't quite fit on the very small Miles Memorial stage.  But, it is a good lesson for me to learn as a choreographer.  I need to choose works that fit in the performance space otherwise they cannot be done justice.  With that said I am particularly proud of the dancers Leah Craig, Nathan Burdine and Brooklynn Reeves for managing to dance so fully and so musically within the confines of that performance space.  For me that is a mark of true professionalism.

The show closed with a jaw dropping solo by Thomas Tsai entitles "MEAN".  Thomas entered form the house, walking down to the stage before jumping up and beginning his monologue of words and movement.  His b-boy background knitted seamlessly with a the modern dance sensibility of performing to spoken word.  I just don't know how he kept his breath while flipping, swirling, rolling and stalling his way through the piece.  His incredible feats of strength and balance challenged me to keep equal focus on the words. I was so captivated with his movement that I had to force myself to keep listening to what he was saying.  And, when I did, I noticed how his words also swirled, and rolled and stalled just like his body.  It was a stunning work.  And, the audience showed its appreciation with thunderous applause. 

Two more shows left in this festival.  Come out and show your support for dance in our community. 

MixMatch Run Down (Sat Aug 25th, 2012)

This weekend and next Amanda Hart's Hart Pulse Dance is hosting the 6th Annual MixMatch Dance Festival at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica.

I am participating in the festival with my group Megill & Company, but tonight I took the time to attend the show as an audience member and enjoy the gifts of the dance scene here in LA (and beyond).  I am writing this review in order to help get the word out about dance in the So Cal community.  It is so hard for small, independent dance groups to get reviewed. So. . .  I thought I would go rogue and start doing it myself.  The following are my impressions, observations, and questions that emerged while watching this fun filled night of dance.  Please feel free to add comments if you saw the show as well or if I have made an egregious mistake that should be fixed!

I hope that this will serve the community as a springboard for talking about the amazing dance practices that are happening all around us.

ACT I

The show opened with Michelle Shear's "Two Forty Five," featuring a quartet of  dancers (3 female, one male) sitting around a table wearing structured suit jackets in various subdued colors.  The piece built from gestures of the head, arms and hands while seated at the table, to bigger "break off" phrases with full bodied movement grounded strongly in a ballet-modern technical vocabulary.  This was a well crafted piece, that contained strong elements of theatrical design, symmetry and asymmetry in space, theme and variation.  It reminded me of Kurt Jooss'  "The Green Table" in its use of the table and specific hand and arm gestures.

"Windows Within," choreographed by Joei Waldron of Axxiom Dance Collective, was a powerful male duet that featured impressive turns, leaps and extensions on behalf of the dancers.  While the interaction between the men was emotion-filled, I wondered whether it was a piece about two individuals or rather a single individual who may be struggling within (as suggested by the title).  Regardless of the specific narrative, the theme of yearning and struggle was evident and well performed by these athletic dancers who were powerful and passionate.

Sophie Olsen's "Peep Show" provided an unexpected commentary on women's power and sexuality.  The three female dancers opened the scene wearing bathrobes and performing perfunctory tasks of reading, chowing on chips and flossing.  Then, upon hearing the sound of quarters dropping in the machine they strip off their fuzzy exteriors revealing quintessential lingerie in red, black and white.  After performing a shocking routine of sex powered head rolls, body grinds and hip undulations, they returned to their boring world of waiting. This pattern repeated until these girls had had enough. rebelling against the structure and ending with broken movements that embodied the destruction of their compliance. 

"Then and Now" was choreographed by Heather Dale Wentworth or OPUS MIXTUS dance.  This sweet female duet was in stark contrast to the piece before it.  The performers, dressed in black and white, shared a yin yang quality that blended them together in moments of sensitivity and care.  The piece oscillated between moments of support and care, the most powerful of which for me was the image of the one girl holding the head of the other while kneeling in child's pose. 

Erica Lyn Pena performed a stunning solo entitled "inTAKE".  Wearing simple knit pants and a tank top, there was nothing particularly theatrical about this piece. Instead it was a study in motion and flow.  Pena leapt and rolled through the space in an opening that was kinetic and whirling in its repetition.  Each movement motif was developed in front of the audience in such a way that we as observers could track the movements visually and eventually feel the movements and their kinetic value. 

The first half closed with a film "La Femme" featuring the work of Sophie Olsen (who also choreographed "Peep Show" and the festival director Amanda Hart.  This is a steamy piece set to the music of Yael Meyer featuring a cast of stunning dancers who embody the flickering heat of fire perfectly.


ACT II

The second half of the show began with an earthy duet by Kim T Davis of Ktdavisdance.  The female duet began simply and grew over the duration of the piece in an organic way that surprised me by the end.  The exquisite modern dancers were patient and serene in their rock solid performance.  The aspect of the piece that stood out most to me was the use of the hands. This piece highlighted the power of touch, exploring it in countless ways and in so doing conveying the depth of intimacy between these two women.  Grasping, sliding, catching. I was gradually carried away into its chilling ending.

Phil Turay took the show into a hip hop flavored direction in his "Cleopatra." Turay is an articulate dancer whose use of isolation and urban movement vocabulary (as well as more popular music style) made this a groovy, good-time, energetic dance.  I was particularly surprised by the combination of his movement vocabulary, which was clearly influenced by street dance and club dance and his choice of not wearing shoes.  This contrast against expectation was refreshing and effective in blending a more urban vocabulary with concert dance.

Ericalynn Priolo of Priolo Dance Company assembled an excellent group of female dancers for her piece entitled "Process."  This piece featured a groups of women dressed in all black who moved powerfully and gracefully through the performance space.  There was a clear edginess to the piece that used strong lines as well as interwoven moments of release technique.  The dancers served the aesthetic and athletic vision of the choreographer moving with a seamlessness that made the performance a joy to watch.  I was left with only one question.  The dancers began the piece wearing dresses over pants, then they exited and removed the pants before finishing the performance in the dresses.  I admit, I found myself taken out of the dance for a moment as I tried to make sense of this.  (I would love to hear other people's ideas on this).  But, overall this piece was beautifully crafted and performed.

Jessica Wang presented her take on blending dance movement and martial arts in "Kung Fu Fusion" a piece that focused on the design potential of the body in slow moving shapes that were then contrasted with bursts of energy in quick kicks and jumps.  Wang's performance offered both serenity and power, conveyed in her unwavering focus.

"Flex/Pull," choreographed by Amanda Hart, closed the evening of dance.  The only male/female duet of the show, this piece offered a new energy to the audience.  The dancers were well matched in height and physique, very fit and powerful in their movement profile.  The nature of the relationship was primarily expressed through sculptural partnering that demonstrated the skill and strength of the dancers.  While there was a romantic component to the performance, the duet seemed to present a metaphor for two energies that pushed and pulled against each other in a fight for balance before coming together in a final image of interwoven ease. 

Overall, the show proves once again that there is great dance happening in the area, and I am so pleased to be a part of it.  I will continue to do my best to offer feedback for the festival participants, and hope that it will spark new discussion and appreciation of the dance that is happening here and now in our own backyard. 

FYI:  My company (Megill & Company) will be performing, Sunday Aug 26th, Friday August 31st and Sunday August 2nd.  Come check out this great dance event!