Sandrine Cassini & Victor Talledos in Stitched<\/em> by Enrico Labayen Award winning Labayen Dance Company\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0 Each season it is evident that they have been hard at work creating new work.<\/p>\n Premiere Stitched,<\/em> 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.\u00a0 Their partnering is exemplary \u2013 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.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Victor Talledos, Jaidah Terry and Ismael Acosta in Door Ajar<\/em> Door Ajar<\/em> 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. \u00a0The ensemble dances were completely in unison, sharp and agile with precise footwork \u2013 well finished off – in their surprising movements.\u00a0 Smaller groups performed very fast turns to arabesques with beautifully angled arms and hands \u2013 or transitioned smoothly to languid music and movement. An exciting fleshed out dance piece.<\/p>\n Labayen Dance ensemble in Door Ajar<\/em> Hunger,<\/em> 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 \u201cconverse\u201d with dynamic leaps in this strong, tender and warm piece set to Gabriel Goldberg\u2019s live singing and melodic music.<\/p>\n Victor Talledos\u2019 Secrets Like These<\/em> danced by Leda Pennell is an interesting piece set to Diana Krall\u2019s 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 fouett\u00e9s<\/em>.<\/em> <\/em>\u00a0Talledos enters briefly at the start providing the opportunity for some flirty moments. \u00a0Secrets\u2026<\/em> is an appealing piece with a quick and witty ending.<\/p>\n Ismael Acosta in Kiss My Arp<\/em> Kiss my arp<\/em> choreographed by Labayen is a premiere of a muscular solo dance with Ismael Acosta to pulsating electronic music by Andrea Parker.\u00a0 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 \u2013 designed by Acosta himself \u2013 included leather body straps and black speedo.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n Laura Bernasconi in Spirit of Intention<\/em> “Anima San a In Corpore Sano” Spirit of Intention<\/em>, 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\u2019s hands and fingers in fibrous rhythms \u2013 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 \u2013 a mysterious and fascinating dance.<\/p>\n Suzanne Saltmarsh in Labayen’s Is This Perhaps Death<\/em> Other pieces in the program were Labayen\u2019s politically charged en-GULF-ed<\/em> sensitively danced by Daiane Lopes da Silva, Bernasconi\u2019s Nourishment<\/em> danced by her and Acosta with grace, humor and strength in their relationship, Labayen\u2019s lyrical Is This Perhaps Death?<\/em> \u00a0featuring Suzanne Saltmarsh, Labayen\u2019s FRIDA: A Broken Column<\/em> set to a collage of wistful piano, guitar, flute and cello music danced emotively by da Silva & Diane Mateo, and Labayen\u2019s recently premiered and refined Tears<\/em> \u2013 a loving memory to his sister \u2013 superbly danced by the ensemble to Goldberg\u2019s original music performed live.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n More information:<\/strong> Jo Tomalin Reviews: <\/em>Dance & Theatre <\/em>Performances<\/em><\/p>\n Jo Tomalin, Ph.D. (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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":8574,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[451,185,177,183,211,715,450,447,201,184,449,445,446,452,181,448],"class_list":{"0":"post-8551","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jo-tomalin","8":"tag-anandha-ray","9":"tag-daiane-lopes-da-silva","10":"tag-enrico-labayen","11":"tag-ismael-acosta","12":"tag-jaidah-terry","13":"tag-jo-tomalin","14":"tag-jose-ma-francos","15":"tag-labayen-dance-company","16":"tag-laura-bernasconi","17":"tag-leda-pennell","18":"tag-michelle-lohmar","19":"tag-richard-baranyai","20":"tag-sandrine-cassini","21":"tag-suzanne-saltmarsh","22":"tag-victor-talledos","23":"tag-wuman"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/sandrine-cassini_victor-talledos-in-Stitched-by-enrico-labayen_photo-by-Andrew-Faulkner.jpg\")
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\nPhoto by Andrew Faulkner<\/p>\nRich Offerings from Labayen Dance\/SF<\/h1>\n
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\nPhoto by Andrew Faulkner<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPhoto by Anandha Ray<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPhoto by Anandha Ray<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPhoto by Anandha Ray<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPhoto by Anandha Ray<\/p>\n
\nLabayen Dance Company:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.labayendancecompany.com<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>More Reviews by Jo Tomalin
\n<\/a>TWITTER @JoTomalin<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"