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Jo Tomalin

Jo Tomalin
Dance & Theatre

Sep 30 2013
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Labayen Dance Company: Fall 2013 Season

By Jo Tomalin

(Above) Daiane Lopes da Silva in En-GULF-ed Photo by Richard Baranyai

Review by Jo Tomalin

Sandrine Cassini & Victor Talledos in Stitched by Enrico Labayen
Photo by Andrew Faulkner

Rich Offerings from Labayen Dance/SF

Award winning Labayen Dance Company’s Fall 2013 Season opened in September at San Francisco’s ODC Theater with an array of eleven pieces, including four premiere works and several revivals.

This company is an important part of the San Francisco Bay Area dance scene because Enrico Labayen is not only a prolific choreographer but he is also a notable teacher developing new dancers and a generous mentor to several up and coming choreographers.  Each season it is evident that they have been hard at work creating new work.

Premiere Stitched, with choreography by Labayen , music by WuMan, and costumes by Ismael Acosta is a balletic piece with modern motifs danced by the accomplished Sandrine Cassini & Victor Talledos.  Their partnering is exemplary – they interact beautifully and really do seem to care about each other. Cassini en pointe with the strong Talledos – they both leap, stretch, support and mirror the other effortlessly. This is a solid piece to join the company repertoire.

 

Victor Talledos, Jaidah Terry and Ismael Acosta in Door Ajar
Photo by Andrew Faulkner

Door Ajar Choreographed by Labayen and re-staged by Michelle Lohmar presented the ensemble of eight dancers in vibrant lime green costumes with black edging, gauze midriffs and black strappy tops (Costumes Design by Ismael Acosta). The dramatic Lighting by Jose Ma. Francos (Lighting Design for the entire program) plus the variable soundscape music (melodic to scratchy or buzzy bee violin) by Forbidden Fruit created an evocative insect-like atmosphere.  The ensemble dances were completely in unison, sharp and agile with precise footwork – well finished off – in their surprising movements.  Smaller groups performed very fast turns to arabesques with beautifully angled arms and hands – or transitioned smoothly to languid music and movement. An exciting fleshed out dance piece.

Labayen Dance ensemble in Door Ajar
Photo by Anandha Ray

Hunger, a premiere choreographed by Laura Bernasconi is an athletic, intense male duo wearing black and white shorts and sleeveless T shirts with detailed necklines by Acosta. Through a series of balances and pirouettes a relationship evolves from this physical storytelling. They support each other with outstretched arms then “converse” with dynamic leaps in this strong, tender and warm piece set to Gabriel Goldberg’s live singing and melodic music.

Victor Talledos’ Secrets Like These danced by Leda Pennell is an interesting piece set to Diana Krall’s jazzy music. This is a well-structured dance very well performed by Pennell. She balances against a chair, then she skips with slinky movements punctuated with fouettés.  Talledos enters briefly at the start providing the opportunity for some flirty moments.  Secrets… is an appealing piece with a quick and witty ending.

Ismael Acosta in Kiss My Arp
Photo by Anandha Ray

Kiss my arp choreographed by Labayen is a premiere of a muscular solo dance with Ismael Acosta to pulsating electronic music by Andrea Parker.  Acosta demonstrates a range of skilled and supple movement starting with a body building look, intense twists, falls, fast yoga and then dance positions that works well with the music. His interesting costume – designed by Acosta himself – included leather body straps and black speedo.  This was the most daring piece of the evening and it was very well received by the audience. Therefore, it is worthy of more choreographic development.

Laura Bernasconi in Spirit of Intention “Anima San a In Corpore Sano”
Photo by Anandha Ray

Spirit of Intention, is a Work in Progress choreographed by Anandha Ray & Laura Bernasconi. Beautifully danced by Bernasconi, this is a beguiling and interesting dance based on eastern influences. Bernasconi is dressed in a grand costume with a feather headdress, beaded bodice and long pleated skirt gathered up in an abstract look. The eerie music is paired with the dancer’s hands and fingers in fibrous rhythms – then modern belly dance and turning movement to syncopated cello with laughter and breathing sounds. Sometimes bird-like, Bernasconi is always fluid with the music – a mysterious and fascinating dance.

Suzanne Saltmarsh in Labayen’s Is This Perhaps Death
Photo by Anandha Ray

Other pieces in the program were Labayen’s politically charged en-GULF-ed sensitively danced by Daiane Lopes da Silva, Bernasconi’s Nourishment danced by her and Acosta with grace, humor and strength in their relationship, Labayen’s lyrical Is This Perhaps Death?  featuring Suzanne Saltmarsh, Labayen’s FRIDA: A Broken Column set to a collage of wistful piano, guitar, flute and cello music danced emotively by da Silva & Diane Mateo, and Labayen’s recently premiered and refined Tears – a loving memory to his sister – superbly danced by the ensemble to Goldberg’s original music performed live.

Labayen Dance Company always shares a freshness of spirit and depth of thoughts and ideas in their programs. Look out for their next program early in 2014.

More information:
Labayen Dance Company: http://www.labayendancecompany.com

  

Jo Tomalin Reviews: Dance & Theatre Performances

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
TWITTER @JoTomalin

Aug 29 2013
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Siobhan Davies Dance: “ROTOR” in London

By Jo Tomalin
(above) Siobhan Davies Dance: “ROTOR”  Photo by Jo Tomalin

Review by Jo Tomalin

Timepiece by Conrad Shawcross
(Photo by Jo Tomalin)

Fusion: Siobhan Davies Dance with Sculpture

In August 2013 the Siobhan Davies Dance Company performed three short dance/theatre pieces called ROTOR. ROTOR was devised as a counterpoint to a continually moving faceless clock sculpture – the Timepiece installation by artist Conrad Shawcross, at the historic Roundhouse in Camden, London, an arts and new media performance centre.

The twenty-five feet wide Timepiece Sculpture was suspended from the high Victorian dome ceiling in this mysterious circular space made of wrought iron and wood. Articulated electronically by gears and pulleys, Timepiece’s continuous turning movement was silent and smooth with bright lights on the ends of three narrow rods. Below, the audience members stood or sat around the edges of the vast open floor space.

Siobhan Davies Dance: ROTOR with Timepiece
Photo by Jo Tomalin

Four dancers began the first piece Live Feed (a play written by E V Crowe and directed by Ramin Gray) starting in a line in the centre – three female and one male. “Do it as you want” said one of the actor /dancers, “It’s a shift” said another, “Relaxed?” as they walked together around, going faster, slower, creating some conflict on their journey through words, direction and speed changes.

In the second segment – A Series of Appointments (Choreographed by Siobhan Davies), each of the four dancers mirror the movement of a clock hand as they approach the centre of the space then walk backward, silently  switching formations – chasing a partner – it seems random, but is it? They speed up, go forward and back, sometimes gliding across or exploding from the group. Then they change dynamics and slow down…almost floating for a second or two. This is playful time keeping.

 Siobhan Davies Dance: ROTOR with Timepiece
Photo by Jo Tomalin

In part three – Songbook (Composed by Matteo Fargion) the audience is asked to move to the centre, while the dancers stand with microphones making vocal sounds and moving rhythmically with strong gestures, claps and bends, counting and whistling. The sculpture moves above the audience, and its shadows suggest a sundial gently brushing each person. In the final moments, the sounds and movement become more abstract and physical – like an exaggerated form of absurdist sign language.

This was a fascinating, devised program of movement, dance and theatre, which was well received by the audience. The nature of the performance was certainly unpredictable – yet experimental work fusing art and performance is often found in leading European museums and galleries – and in this case Shawcross, Davies and the always provocative Roundhouse produced a creative interlude to make us slow down our own pace of life to experience time passing in a different way.

Siobhan Davies, prior dancer and well-known choreographer at the London Contemporary Dance Theatre leads Siobhan Davies Dance, which is one of the UK’s foremost contemporary dance companies. The Roundhouse has combined this dance company with Shawcross’ sculpture in an interesting series of dance/theatre and fusion performances – preceded earlier in August by notable choreographer Wayne McGregor’s Random Dance company and the Timepiece.

 

More information:
YouTube link to Conrad Shawcross’ Timepiece:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkSl7KlnQm8

The Roundhouse, London:
http://www.roundhouse.org.uk

Watch Siobhan Davies Dance: ROTOR
http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/siobhan-davies-dance-presents-rotor

Siobhan Davies Dance:
http://www.siobhandavies.com

Conrad Shawcross:
http://conradshawcross.com

  

Jo Tomalin Reviews:  Dance & Theatre Performances

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
TWITTER @JoTomalin

Jul 25 2013
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National Theatre, London & Punchdrunk

By Jo Tomalin
Above: Laure Bachelot (Mary). Photo by Pari

Review by Jo Tomalin

Laure Bachelot (Mary) and Omar Gordon (William).
Photo by Pari

  The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable – London’s Cult Hit

The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable is the latest cult hit sweeping London. This creative play is co-produced by the award-winning Punchdrunk, a company known for its immersive theatre, and Britain’s renowned world-class National Theatre. Directed by Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle, the run started in June 2013, gathered momentum fast and will continue to the end of December, 2013, so you can still catch it if you visit London.

Inspired by Büchner’s fractured masterpiece Woyzeck, the story follows a couple (Wendy and Marshall)  through their imagination of a desolate Hollywood movie set in the Temple Studios, located near Paddington Station.

Fionn Cox-Davies (Marshall) and Sophie Bortolussi (Wendy).
Photo by Pari

This is a promenade performance where the audience is part of the event walking around as actors appear in fleeting moments of dramatic emotion and disappear just as fast. What is different in this production is that every audience member has to wear a gray Venetian style mask throughout the two to three hour evening – only permitted to take it off as they enter the bar for a break or when they exit the studios. This is unusual and it not only makes a natural separation between the actors playing characters, but it also looks eerily daunting as you look out at the sea of masked faces watching emotive scenes voyeuristically.

Jane Leaney (Dolores Grey).
Photo by Pari

Punchdrunk’s Temple Studios inhabit four immense floors of a now disused warehouse in Paddington. Each floor is a vast set that transcends into a netherworld-like environment that engulfs, surprises, jolts and excites. The lower floors are more like abstract art installations with eerie lighting design by Mike Gunning, vibrant pulsating soundscapes by Magnus Fiennes and Stephen Dobbie, and various objets and materials. Walking through the many doors, alleys then crossing large dark expanses on the lower levels is unnerving at first, yet the upper floors are full of remarkably designed and derelect movie sets to explore. Throughout the floors of Temple Studios the large cast of multi-talented actors are living their characters’ visceral, mortal moments on these retro movie sets, beautifully costumed by Jack Galloway.

Among the painstakingly detailed sets designed by Livi Vaughan and Beatrice Minns are small airstream shape caravans/actor trailers, abandoned production offices, a costumer’s studio with an unhappy actress, memorabilia, seedy motel rooms, a barber shop, a café, a bar with a male singer in sequined drag, a chapel, and a desert.

Sophie Bortolussi (Wendy).
Photo by Pari

While there is no set schedule of scenes to see, the deal is to be free to explore at will – alone – “to make your own movie” and when you find a character or two, observe and follow to see what they do next – or not. Most of the excellent fine tuned action is silent, physical or danced (choreography by Maxine Doyle), peppered with a rare song or spoken dialogue.

As the audience wanders around they may witness a happy couple, a visceral love triangle, deceit, sadness and more – however, the evening ends on an exhilarating tone with a clever twist.

This production is unique and brilliant. The moments experienced by participants often stay for days – but do not expect a linear story. In fact, if you go forget all of this, take the advice of Felix Barrett, Punchdrunk’s founder and separate from your friends to discover your own movie.

Don’t project or expect what may happen – or you will be disappointed. Just go and be, explore, enter every door – and like the actors at Temple Studios, live in the moment.

 

More information:

Trailer: The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZKNNMombV8

Punchdrunk Company: http://punchdrunk.com

National Theatre, London: http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/

  

Jo Tomalin Reviews: Dance & Theatre Performances

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
TWITTER @JoTomalin

Jun 14 2013
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Pina Bausch: Théâtre de la Ville, Paris

By Jo Tomalin
(above) KONTAKHTOF – PHOTO CREDIT Copyright : Olivier Look

Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal  KONTAKHTOF
(Photo Credit Copyright : Olivier Look)

Incomparable Pina Bausch Tanztheater at its Best!

Review by Jo Tomalin

Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal performed Kontakthof, June 11-21 2013, at the Théâtre de la Ville, Paris, France.

The legendary Kontakthof, premiered in 1978 by renowned choreographer Pina Bausch, is set in a dance hall and expresses the range of human emotions between men and women through humor, awkward seductions, tenderness, discomfort and sadness.

Starting with individuals standing close to the audience, a woman in a red cocktail dress checks out her side and front view in the imaginary mirror, a man checks his teeth and adjusts his hair,  someone chases a woman with a fake mouse across the stage…Kontakthof brilliantly explores the phobias of people in public.

A banal set comprises a large gray curtain with a high wall backdrop and several rows of chairs – Scenography and Costume Design by Rolf Borzik. Throughout two hour plus performance the women wear an array of beautifully tailored multicolored satin cocktail dresses and long flowy silk robes, the men wear elegant suits, complemented by lyrical and dramatic music selections by Juan Llossas and Jean Sibelius.

KONTAKHTOF
(Photo Credit Copyright : Olivier Look)

This is dance theatre at its best and there’s plenty of both in Kontakthof performed by this superb company.

Dancers enter and exit playing tricks on each other, dance together or alone, make suggestive gestures and undress – always with a wry smile. A chorus line of impressive dancers dynamically advances towards the audience, couples do discrete and sad yet saucy slow dances, and at times the entire ensemble dances with restrained fluidity with movement dissolving into stillness. Bausch’s choreography surprises us yet also has fascinating repetitive motifs and sequences performed by exceptionally well-trained and tuned in dancers.

Theatre is infused in relationships, dances and clever situations. Disappointment shows in body language of several characters when a child’s mechanical horse ride does not work – until realization that a coin is needed – so they approach audience members for coins. In another short scene actors sit in a row downstage and talk to the audience in their own language (english, german, french, spanish), while a dancer playing the stage manager holds a microphone.  A character walks around with a human size blow up doll getting reactions from onlookers…

These outstanding dancers are sexy, have perfect timing and invest themselves emotionally and believably in play and dance – transcending techniques to produce a piece of exciting visual sensory art that thrills audiences – the norm for this exceptional world-class company.

More information:
Théâtre de la Ville, Paris
Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal

   Jo Tomalin Reviews: Theatre, Dance and Movement Performances

For Critics World
www.forallevents.com

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
TWITTER @JoTomalin

Apr 11 2013
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Rite of Spring (photo by Weidong Yang)

Labayen Dance/SF: San Francisco

By Jo Tomalin
Rites of Spring       photo (above) by Weidong Yang

Dramatic, Lyrical and Moving…

Review by Jo Tomalin Ph.D.
www.forallevents.com

Sandrine Cassini in Labayen's RITES OF SPRING ( Photo by Andrew Faulkner)

Sandrine Cassini in Labayen’s RITES OF SPRING
(Photo by Andrew Faulkner)

The Labayen Dance/SF 18th Anniversary Season production at San Francisco’s Dance Mission Theatre on March 15 – 17, 2013 presented several dance pieces, including one World Premiere – Enrico Labayen’s Tears – and one much anticipated US Premiere, Labayen’s Rites of Spring, which anchored the program.

Labyen Dance in RITES OF SPRING (Photo by Weidong Yang)

Labyen Dance in RITES OF SPRING
(Photo by Weidong Yang)

Imagine two red hand weights and three red folding chairs on stage while Igor Stravinsky’s melodic flute and violin music floats in as three women (Sandrine Cassini, Leda Pennell and Jaidah Terry) enter. They are watched by a guy (Victor Talledos) lying on the floor wearing a baseball hat, and there you have the opening mise en scéne of Labayen’s striking Rites of Spring. Labayen’s distinct choreography ranges from stark to stylized and is very well done. This is a theatrical and athletic Rites with perfect unison of the dancers as they stretch en pointe at gravity defying angles on and around the chairs. There are fascinating role reversals as the guy takes a chair and a girl watches him – while the other two girls flex their hand weights to the music then they all watch the guy’s mysterious sequence of leaps and turns. Red lighting design by Harry Rubeck complements the vibrant setting admirably. Rites is a sexy and balletic power play performed by all four dancers with precision, grace and combustible energy.

Labayen's TEARS (Photo by Weidong Yang)

Labayen’s TEARS
(Photo by Weidong Yang)

The evening opened with Tears (World Premiere) choreographed by Labayen and danced beautifully by Victor Talledos, Lena Pennell, Jaidah Terry, Karen Meyers, Yuko Hata and Keon Saghari. A meditative soundscape by Guest Artist Gabriel Goldberg complemented the sensuous and spiritual atmosphere and sculptured white fabric hanging in a pool of white light. Fabric was used among the dancers to help them twirl, lift, pull and balance eachother, effortlessly.

Sandrine Cassini & Victor Talledos in Labayen's TEARS (Photo by Andrew Faulkner)

Sandrine Cassini & Victor Talledos
in Labayen’s TEARS
(Photo by Andrew Faulkner)

As with all of Labayen’s work, there are deeper meanings to the core of the dance. In Tears he explores an emotional personal journey of his feelings for a beloved family member, who recently passed. This is a creative and moving piece that will likely become a mainstay of the company’s repertoire.

Ismael Acosta & Laura Bernasconi in Nourishment (photo by Weidong Yang)

Ismael Acosta & Laura Bernasconi
in Nourishment
(photo by Weidong Yang)

Nourishment, choreographed by Laura Bernasconi was danced with pure control of adagio lifts by Ismael Acosta & Bernasconi to rhythmic off beat music by Gregg Ellis. This is dance acro with attitude and mischief. Amazing piece!

Desde lo Mas Profundo del Corazon Hasta el Limite de la Razon (translation: from the Depth of the heart to the limit of reason) is a fluid modern dance piece choreographed by Victor Talledos. Soloist Leda Pennell danced vibrantly with great extensions to music by Albert Pla.

Sandrine Cassini & Victor Talledos in Cassini's Treize (photo by Weidong Yang)

Sandrine Cassini & Victor Talledos
in Cassini’s Treize
(photo by Weidong Yang)

Treize, choreographed by Guest Artist Sandrine Cassini, an international dancer and choreographer,  was a very polished performance in every way. Cassini and Talledos danced this short playful and romantic piece with muscular lifts and yes, drags across the floor to Chopin’s Prelude #13. Fluid and precise – it’s a wonderful creation, leaving us hungry for more.

Chrysalis choreographed by Daiane Lopes da Silva is more developed since the last Labayen season production. The imaginative ‘out of the box’ theatrical concept involves a toy dog, a dancer in a red frilly lacy tutu looking for a dog sitter, several dancers in black goggles, yellow lighting, dripping sounds evoking an underworld, insect like creatures seeking food and a way out of the underworld.  The ensemble of dancers: Keon Saghari, Yuko Hata, Ildiko Polony, Michelle Kinny, Karla Johanna Quintero and Courtney Anne Russell do a fine job in this fast-moving piece which ranges from humorous to dramatic dance segments, complemented by the music of Per Nogard and Nine Inch Nails.

Awit Pag-Ibig (Translation: Love Songs) choreography by Labayen, and dancers Victor Talledos, Leda Pennell, Jaidah Terry, Karen Meyers and Yuka Hata. Seen in an earlier season, this piece looked better than ever. Set to beautiful music (Philippine Folk Songs arranged for piano & violin by Gilopez Kabayao & Corazon Pineda) often in a minor key, this dance piece is based on Labayen’s personal story of life, suffering and love, told well through his moving choreography and his dancers. The quality and unison of the four women was wonderful, showing precision and a great attack on the space while Talledos was muscular and lyrical in his duos and solos.

Victor Talledos choreographed Desolation, danced by Ana Robles & Ismael Acosta. This was a warm and romantic piece perfectly complemented by the soulful music by Sigur Ros. Robles and Acosta expertly performed the sustained expansive adagio duo with moody and joyous visceral movement.

This was a very successful season for the Labayen Dance/SF company. Award winning choreographer Enrico Labayen and his company of dancers and choreographers created a wonderful evening of dance that was particularly well suited to the space of the Mission Dance Theatre.

For more information
Labayen Dance/SF: http://www.labayendancesf.org/

   Jo Tomalin Reviews: Theatre, Dance and Movement Performances

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
Critics World
www.forallevents.com

TWITTER @JoTomalin

 

Feb 14 2013
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Joffrey Ballet: Cal Performances

By Jo Tomalin
(above) Joffrey Ballet “After the Rain” Victoria Jaiani & Fabrice Calmels Photo Credit Herbert Migdoll

Visceral and Dramatic Joffrey Ballet

Review by Jo Tomalin

Joffrey Ballet “Age of Innocence”
(Photo Credit Herbert Migdoll)

The Joffrey Ballet, an award winning and renowned American dance company from Chicago performed to sold out performances at Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall, Cal Performances, on January 26 & 27, 2013. This world-class company presents classical to cutting edge eclectic dance works with excellence, and tours internationally.

On January 26th the program included three ballets: The Age of Innocence, After the Rain, and The Green Table.

For ballet fans the opportunity to see a live performance of The Green Table, the antiwar classic by German dancer and choreographer Kurt Jooss, was reason enough to come, because it is performed so infrequently and is macabrely fascinating. Premiering in 1932 by the Ballets Jooss and subtitled A Dance of Death in Eight Scenes, this is an abstract expressionistic dance-theatre ballet in both choreography and visual design, yet with literal meaning about war. The scenes start with the pedantic diplomats uniformed in tight tailcoats and masked balding heads – the Gentlemen in Black – arguing. Then the scenes continue to the Battle, Farewells, Refugees, Partisan, Brothel, Aftermath and back to the still pedantic still arguing Gentlemen.

The striking discordant to lilting piano music by F.A. Cohen was played live by Mungunchimeg Buriad and Paul James Lewis and complements the craziness of the Diplomats, the athleticism of Death (Dylan Gutierrez), and the emotional and dramatic duo of a soldier leaving a young woman, as he goes off to war.

Joffrey Ballet “Age of Innocence”
Victoria Jaian & Fabrice Calmels
(Photo Credit Herbert Migdoll)

The Age of Innocence opened the program. This is a sinuous and sensual ballet beautifully danced by the company, choreographed by Edwaard Liang. Music by Philip Glass and Thomas Newman is at times vibrant, playful, dramatic and soulful. Costume Design by Maria Pinto are dreamy and flowing, all beautifully lit with Lighting Design by Jack Mehler, after Mark Stanley.

Two duos were standouts – the exquisitely danced duo of Jeraldine Mendoza & Mauro Villanueva – she leans and twists as he pulls, she glides, and balances – outstanding and achingly beautiful. Victoria Jaiani & Fabrice Calmels powerfully and sublimely danced the second duo, with a high level of precision, flexibility and impressive extensions.

Joffrey Ballet “After the Rain”
Victoria Jaian & Fabrice Calmels
(Photo Credit Herbert Migdoll)

Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain is set to the steely sounding music by Arvo Pärt and a palette of steel grey and flesh Costume Design by Holly Hynes.

Rich, warm tones of lighting and panorama by Mehler, after Stanley,Jo To perfectly coalesced with the wistful music of the last duo – longingly and lovingly danced by Victoria Jaiani & Fabrice Calmels. Wheeldon’s choreography and these dancers transported us to a beautiful space.

The Joffrey Ballet is a superlative company and this program was outstanding in every way. Highly recommended!

For more information:

Joffrey Ballet: http://www.joffrey.com

Cal Performances: http://calperfs.berkeley.edu

Next Dance Performances at Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall feature the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, April 23-29, 2013

   Jo Tomalin Reviews Dance, Physical Theatre, and Movement Performances

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
Critics World
www.forallevents.com

Feb 13 2013
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Avner the Eccentric: Physical Theatre

By Jo Tomalin
(Above) Avner the Eccentric

The AMAZING Avner the Eccentric…

Review by Jo Tomalin

Avner the Eccentric

Avner the Eccentric performed his one-man show Exceptions to Gravity on January 29, 2013 at the Bankhead Theatre, Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center. It was a wonderful opportunity to see this world-class international master of physical comedy in an all too rare San Francisco Bay Area appearance.

 

Avner arrives as a janitor character busy sweeping the stage – aware of the audience he sits down to watch a show, but he is, unwittingly, the show. After a few moments looking at the audience he decides to juggle items he finds onstage such as baseball bats and a peacock feather. Sometimes he loses his hat or gets caught up in his clothing but he finds charming and clever solutions to each challenge.

Avner the Eccentric
(Photo: Marie Clauzade)

Later, he picks up a tall stack of paper cups and they seem to have a mind of their own as they bend and go out of reach, then one of his arms appears longer than the other…but again he finds a unique and entertaining resolution. Avner juggles, drops, defies gravity and plays with many other objects (and a few people), while the audience is totally absorbed in his fun and innocent world, laughing, oohing and aahing at his antics.

Avner the Eccentric

Oh, there’s something else, Avner the Eccentric never speaks a word. This is a silent theatrical clown show and Avner uses his physicality, eyes, facial expressions and timing so skillfully that he transcends language and cultural barriers – everyone understands what’s happening, especially if it seems like an impending threat (to him). In fact, the audience of adults and children enjoy this complicity, when the performer – and they – discover the situations Avner gets himself into quite accidentally and appreciate his creative ways out.

Avner the Eccentric

Avner is not only an expert clown, highly skilled at non-verbal physical communication, but he is also a magician. After an hour or so, Avner performed his Pièce de résistance – a special treat for the audience- Avner’s magical meal that playfully transforms itself unpredictably – and it thrilled everyone! Avner is brilliant and this was a fabulous ending to his show.

Interacting with the audience is the key to theatrical clowning and there is none better than Avner. He performed his one-man show Avner the Eccentric for a season on Broadway and co-starred in Lincoln Center’s production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. In addition to acting in various other plays, TV appearances, film, and international tours, Avner directs and teaches workshops for aspiring and professional theatrical clowns. Check out his Schedule for where you can find him performing or teaching next – Avner the Eccentric‘s show is a must see for everyone!

For more information:
Avner the Eccentric: http://www.avnertheeccentric.com
Bankhead Theatre – LVPAC: http://www.mylvpac.com

   Jo Tomalin Reviews Physical Theatre, Dance and Movement Performances

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
Critics World
www.forallevents.com

Feb 12 2013
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SF Ballet: World Premiere

By Jo Tomalin

Photo (above) Maria Kochetkova and Jaime Garcia Castilla in McGregor’s Borderlands.  © Erik Tomasson

Wayne McGregor’s New Work – Borderlands

Review by Jo Tomalin 

Sofiane Sylve and Vito Mazzeo in McGregor’s Borderlands.
© Erik Tomasson

The opening season of SF Ballet began with Program 1 January 29, to February 3, 2013 at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House offered three different ballets, all distinct in flavor.

The headliner is undoubtedly the World Premiere of Borderlands created for SF Ballet by multi-award-winning British choreographer and director Wayne McGregor. McGregor has also created new works for La Scala, Paris Opera Ballet, the Royal Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theatre and New York Ballet.

San Francisco Ballet in McGregor’s Borderlands.
© Erik Tomasson

Borderlands is a vibrant ballet inspired by the abstract paintings of German-American artist Josef Albers. In fact, McGregor and his team spent time at the Josef Albers Foundation in Connecticut immersing themselves in the way Albers worked with colors as a means to deceive the eye, which McGregor used as a starting point for this ballet.

Twelve dancers vividly perform the many fibrous, pulsing, zippy, four-minute segment dances in duos, trios, and groups starting in the huge walled white box (Scenic Design by McGregor and Lucy Carter). Slowly the white box turns shades of gray to dark gray.

Maria Kochetkova and Lonnie Weeks in McGregor’s Borderlands.
© Erik Tomasson

The dynamic lighting design (Lighting Design by Lucy Carter) becomes its own element of this ballet as it ranges from gray to electric blue and neon orange; it complements and contrasts with the electronic sonic score music composed by Joel Cadbury and Paul Stoney. This is a visceral and relevant ensemble work with stunning solos and duos, unexpected shapes of athletic lifts, and dramatic visual and challenging choreographic movement.

Sarah Van Patten in Lifar’s Suite en Blanc.
© Erik Tomasson

Suite en Blanc choreographed by Serge Lifar, Staged by the accomplished Maina Geilgud with Édouado Lalo’s rapturous music, opened the program.  This is a neoclassical ballet with a breathtaking traditional look set against a black background. As the curtains opened there were formations of dancers on two levels in long white dresses or tutus, the men in gray tights and romantic ruched-sleeved shirts filled the stage.  The Corps of twenty dancers, trios and duos were exquisite and the four soloists on January 30 (Koto Ishihara, Vanessa Zahorian, Gennadi Nedvigin and Maria Kochetkova) were elegant, precise and projected well. A wonderful ensemble piece to start the season!

Vanessa Zahorian and Rubén Martín Cintas in Robbins’ In The Night.
© Erik Tomasson

In The Night choreographed by Jerome Robbins was a passionate and lyrical ballet Re-Created by Kevin Connaughton, set to music by Frédéric Chopin, featuring pianist Roy Bogas. Three couples in beautifully ornate and richly textured costumes, designed by Anthony Dowell partner and interact in combinations. Sasha DeSola and Steven Morse danced romantically, reaching out to each other then entwining arms, Morse lifts and whisks DeSola away – beautiful. Next, Jennifer Stahl and Tiit Helimets, a couple with a compelling and strong presence, danced with quick changes of pace, swaying lifts and quivering swoops. Finally, Sarah van Patten and Luke Ingham performed flawless lifts and gentle placement in their fascinating lyrical and hot – cold relationship, which also had a playful side. In The Night is a captivating piece exploring love, under the starlit sky of Jennifer Tipton’s Lighting Design.

SF Ballet’s next program: Program 3 features Possokhov’s The Rite of Spring  (February 26 – March 10).
Don’t miss it!

For more information:
SF Ballet: http://www.sfballet.org
Wayne McGregor: http://www.randomdance.org

   Jo Tomalin Reviews Dance, Physical Theatre, Theatre & Movement Performances

Jo Tomalin, Ph.D.
More Reviews by Jo Tomalin – Click on list to right of page
Critics World
www.forallevents.com

Bio below…

Dec 15 2012
Love0

Clas/sick Hip Hop: YBCA San Francisco

By Jo Tomalin
(Above) Photo by Jo Tomalin

Clas/sick Hip Hop is HOT!

image of Classick Hip Hop Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

Clas/sick Hip Hop
Courtesy of Rennie Harris
Puremovement

CLAS/SICK HIP HOP featuring legendary hip hop pioneer Rennie Harris and accomplished musician and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) was an exciting hip hop mini-festival comprising six “post-hip hop” dancers. This new twist to hip hop was presented by the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) in San Francisco, November 30, and December 1, 2012, curated by and with Concept Design by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Director of YBCA Performing Arts.

Joining dancer, choreographer, artistic director, and professor of hip-hop Rennie Harris, were dancers Marquese “Nonstop” Scott and Arthur “Lil Crabe” Cadre of YouTube fame, trail-blazing b-girl Ana “Rokafella” Garcia, and California-based newcomers Ladia Yates and Levi Allen (AKA I Dummy).

The YBCA is a commendable presenter for this show because of their commitment to push boundaries by collaborating with and challenging such artists to take risks, performing within this institution. Without doubt, the versatility of the large open space of the Forum was an advantage – set up with an area of raised seating on each side of the room, and the dancers appeared from the audience or corners of the room into the huge dance space.

Clas/sick Hip Hop Photo by Jo Tomalin

Clas/sick Hip Hop
Photo by Jo Tomalin

However, as the audience entered we were told not to sit down – but to join in the first half of the evening by dancing. The YBCA Forum immediately became an animated dance party in a dark club, with fabulous light shows and projections on the walls and ceiling (Production Design by David Szlasa)  – as one by one, the hip hop dancers surprised the crowd and appeared in a spotlight doing an improvised solo and duos.

Photo by Jo Tomalin

Photo by Jo Tomalin Clas/sick Hip Hop  Photos by Jo Tomalin

 

The brilliant improvisations varied in style – from slow Butoh-like movement with silent screams, to stop start controlled robotic movement, perfectly coordinated moon walks, sensitive moments of lyrical dance, and lightning fast contortions and acrobatic moves.

What is different about the concept of this show is that the hip hop dancers are accompanied by virtuoso violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) and his string ensemble including violinist Matthew Szemela. Classically trained, Roumain mashes his own cultural references with classical music, playing on a small stage while collaborating with DJ/Producer Elan Vytal, at the centre of the dance floor for his solo, or moving among the dancers.

Award-winning theater artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, states in the program notes that the goal of the mini-festival, collaborating with Harris and Roumain, is to “”normalize” the movement vocabulary of 21st century social dance within the framework of a high end contemporary arts center, bridging classical and jazz music forms to the continuum of urban dance…Clas/sick Hip Hop engages this institution and some of the artists we love in an activist curatorial philosophy, and stakes a unique claim in performance that will only happen on our stages. We articulate a sense of added pedagogical agency to the notion of the “jazz intellect”, the under reported cerebral intonations of improvisation, particularly as manifested in African American culture.”

image of Classick Hip Hop Courtesy of Rennie Harris Puremovement

Rennie Harris
Courtesy of Rennie Harris
Puremovement

While hip hop and “post-hip hop” are their own genres of dance, they are esoteric and may not have been thought of as a mainstream dance form by all. However, Clas/Sick Hip Hop hopes to show that not only is this is its own dance genre but it is also a form of modern dance with rich multifaceted roots, especially when accompanied by Roumain’s poignant and expressive eclectic live violin performance.

In the second part of this show dancers performed in duos – with choreographed and improvised sequences that worked very well together and brought out each dancer’s personality and own dance style. What was remarkable and unexpected were the emotional arcs and personal storytelling that came through the movement in each pair.

In one piece, two guys look at each other, then circle around as if in a street, giving attitude…they try to outdo each other with their moves. One incorporates mime to sound effects very cleverly…in the end they both win – wonderful!

In another piece, two dressed as cowboys with checkered shirts and black hats have a dance conversation reacting and communicating through wonderfully contorted movements and exquisite footwork – light on their feet, slick and graceful.

A male dancer dressed in blue denim jacket, beige chinos and red sneakers, and a female dancer in tight black cat suit, red cap and red sneakers dance to soulful piano and violin music, relating to each other emotionally, yet the unorthodox is still present as he slowly walks on his tippy toes in sneakers, he’s bendy and contorts his limbs, then they move in a slow motion visceral pull towards each other.

Clas/sick Hip Hop Photo by Jo Tomalin

Clas/sick Hip Hop
Photo by Jo Tomalin

A dancer spins on her head, in a pool of light, accompanied by melodic violin music – and enthusiastic audience cheers – her partner contorts arms and legs impossibly and balances on one hand gymnastically. They slide and stretch across the floor together meeting upside down and contemplating each other, then bounce and spin in sync to the gentle music.

Clas/sick Hip Hop Photo by Jo Tomalin

Clas/sick Hip Hop
Photo by Jo Tomalin

The show culminated with an absorbing piece incorporating spoken word, with each of the six dancers taking the focus performing their own freestyle movement thoughtfully expressing the poetry and music.

A wonderful addition to this hip hop weekend were low cost dance classes all day on Saturday December 1, when students of any age could take mixed-level dance classes of five different genres including Afro-Peruvian to Congolese to Samba – for a day pass costing 50 cents!

Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s quest – and risk – paid off. He succeeded in producing a memorable mini-festival of hip hop dance and more, created by Harris, Roumain, Vytal, Szlasa, and the amazing dancers whose virtuosity and range of inspired choreography were ecstatically appreciated by the audience.

The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is to be much applauded for producing this mini-festival. Benefits of producing this in a main stream and respected cultural center are very meaningful and worthwhile because the audiences of this sold out weekend were diverse in every way and exposed to the art of the hip hop dance form and culture – many for the first time – and I bet they would go back for more, I would.

More information and tickets for the YBCA Art Gallery, Films and Performances:

Jo Tomalin
Critics World
www.forallevents.com

Dec 11 2012
Love0
Image of Company members of Mummenschanz at Cal Performances November 23-25, 2012. PHOTO: Gerry Born

Mummenschanz: Physical Theatre

By Jo Tomalin

 

Mummenschanz returns to Cal Performances November 23-25, 2012. (Above) Photo: Gerry Born

The Fantastical World of Mummenschanz

image of Mummenschanz Photo Credit: Gerry Born

Mummenschanz
Photo Credit: Gerry Born

The celebrated physical theatre company’s latest show “40 Years of Mummenschanz” performed on November 23 – 25, 2013 at Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. Mummenschanz is a world class company based in Switzerland, that tours internationally and last performed at Zellerbach in 2010.

This show is not to be missed! Why? Well Mummenschanz creates life out of anything inanimate – such as every day objects – using fabric, plastic, tubes, wires and boxes to create large shapes and forms that embody human characteristics and communicate non-verbally. This completely silent show comprises almost thirty different visual sketches and is not only clever when bringing the objects to life, but the creators, Floriano Frassetto, Bernie Schürch – the current Artistic Directors – and the late Andres Bossard experimented during the early 1970s with different objects to explore the full extent of the characters, their physicality, movement vocabulary and emotions. These qualities are appreciated by the audience because each sketch follows through a range of movement and precise manipulation, challenging the simplicity of the objects to reveal a depth of meaning through imaginative play that’s magical.

This year’s show “40 Years of Mummenschanz” is exactly that – a feast of sketches developed during the company’s lifetime, with old favorites and newer creations, wonderfully performed by the international cast of Floriana Frassetto, Philipp Egli, Raffaella Mattioli and Pietro Montandon. The stage is often dark with strategically placed dramatic lighting design by Jan Maria Lukas, which beautifully highlights the objects as they move and react. In fact, many people return to see a Mummenschanz show more than once, because their fantastical world is so unique and entertaining.

Where else can you see a surreal pair of giant hands open the curtains or walk off the stage to play with the audience? Or what about an orange fluffy ball that enlarges slowly, comes alive as if it has eyes, then rolls, tumbles and flops trying to mount a platform, while gaining the empathy of the audience? Imagine a taller than human size bendy tubular yellow slinky sliding around the stage throwing and catching a large red ball – then interacting with the audience…Mummenschanz creates the impossible!

Image of Mummenschanz Photo Credit: Pia Zanetti

Mummenschanz
Photo Credit: Pia Zanetti

 

In another brilliant sketch, rolls of blue toilet paper become features on a mask – that transition as the actor wearing all black tears off pieces to make a scarf. Then a pink toilet paper mask character comes in, they play and try to outdo each other – culminating in a sweet romantic moment as “blue” cries tears, by pulling off squares of paper from his toilet roll eyes, then deftly creates a bouquet by picking up all the paper on the floor for “pink”.

 

After the intermission, bubble plastic floats in green lighting to shapeshift to become fish and then fireflies; black light figures become Cocteau like silhouettes of sexy legs and profile faces, and a small crinkled shape grows into a huge boulder and rolls down towards the audience tantalizingly…and more.

Look out for Mummenschanz next time and expect the unexpected and a wonderful sensory experience for all the family to enjoy.

More information and tickets:

Jo Tomalin
Critic World
www.forallevents.com