The choreographer made brilliant strides to fuse together a sense of acknowledgement to everyday actions and the rigor of dance. His intention was clearly depicted in the way his dancers moved like none I had ever seen before those subtle flexes of the arms and legs exaggerated into full-fledge steps portraying a sense of humanistic simplicity. Koresh clearly intended to absolve the viewer into a sense of disarray, wanting to create movements that were distinctly reminiscent of everyday actions but still carried enough finesse and synchronization in order to be classified as a dance performance. He wanted to exhibit a full extent of human emotions through pulsating dance movements that were powerful enough to project the very moods of anger, lust, and longing.
The subject of the work was life and human emotions themselves. Indeed the movements depicted a range of distinct, sometimes jerky but relatable arm flexes that exhibited feelings of anxiety, anger and sometimes even care such as when one of the male dancers held the female dancer with all his might where as she continued with her hand movement as though wishing to be let go. Then came a sudden jerk from the male dancer and the female stumbled to her feet, in perfect execution. Koresh used the space of an hour and some minutes to portray 14 sections of dance routines that seemed to be compiled like mini-stories of one big narration. There was practically no use of props and for good reason too, as the choreography was designed to bring forth a sense of passion in the rigors of everyday life, displayed with exquisite finesse and skill at the hands of the experienced crew, something props might have possibly taken away from.
The performance majorly followed the contemporary form of dance, with a mixture of ballet techniques with maybe a little inspiration from jazz. The approach was consistently modern though and it appeared to complement the intention of the choreographer beautifully. The picture he painted was that of humans undergoing various emotions that could only be supplemented by seemingly inconsistent moves, lifts, falls, jitters and gyrations. Coupled with an eerie background music that seemed to be comprised of African drum beats with dabs of the banjo, the piece was serene yet very communicative of the proficiency of the choreographer in achieving human-inspired burst of emotions through contemporary dance.
The performance of Shannon Bramham stood out for me the most. Her exquisite execution, from the lifts and spins all communicated a sense of passion for her work, as well as the finesse of the choreographer. In parts where the entire crew would stay still while she was at one corner of the layout performing, I could notice every detail of her stretch, twirl and reach. It was very inspirational.
My thoughts throughout were regarding the theme that was the centerpiece of the dance Sense of Human. At first it was hard to relate the choreography to the title but as the minutes strolled by, one could see the detailed reference to human emotions and the impact they created. The strongest aspect of the dance was the fact that there were no props at all, and there were no discernable weak points. The lack of props centered the focus squarely on the limbs. The gradual relation the movements developed with the title led me to believe that sincere belief in ones choreography could easily communicate the desired message to the audience. Perhaps one thing that left to be desired was a deeper storyline, but that is indeed a very small gripe.
Second performance Patio Plastico
Title Patio Plastico
Choreographer Brian Sanders
Venue Equality Forum
Duration 40 mins
Date of attendance 30th Apr 2010
The Critique
The primary intention here was simply to capture the essence of the beauty of the male physique while depicting the superficial nature of humans today through dance. The storyline was the main centre of attraction here, as the choreographer was aiming to highlight the way humans tend to prefer artificial objects such as patios over the more natural grass and herbs. The movements were slow and strenuous, displaying a sense of finesse and muscle power involved in the process greatly emphasizing the beauty of the human anatomy. The artificiality of todays world was the subject, and this was brought into the limelight by carefully timed grins of dancers playing guests as well as the all-smiles nature of the patio dwellers. The space was well utilized with lighting playing an important part in setting the mood and the message. Visual elements encompassed much of the available space, with dancers being painted vivid silver and being flung in the air in perfect sync. Special attention was given to props with wide usage of acrylic clothing and shirtless male dancers posing inside of picture frames. It was a unique experience.
As with any innovative choreographer, the style was a mixture of different styles fused together to create something original. Contemporary dance was the main focus and elements of modern dance were plentiful throughout. The music was conservatory and accentuated the concepts the choreographer wished to emphasize well, especially in scenes where the male physique was dominant. The dancer that particularly stood out was the one involved in the picture frame sequence. His presence was paramount in sequences where he posed in the frame himself or juggled them like a gymnast. His physique, of course, was most glaring in these depictions.
Brian Sanders choreography spoke volumes about his status as one of the most innovative choreographers Philadelphia has ever produced. His work did relate in a positive way to his own feelings about his sexuality, his ideologies regarding the American culture and dance in particular. The impact it generated was clear and similar to the Koresh performance, aspired me to simply believe in the quality of work I can produce. It also highlighted an important aspect of choreography for me the storyline. Dance is a great way to confer a message to your audience.
This piece displayed the ability of the masters at work. They inspired me greatly not just to dance but to think out of the box and come forth with my own ideas, no matter how odd or surreal they seem. Sense of Human executed the same beautifully. My perspective on dance has been altered significantly in so much that I do not look upon it simply as a means of entertainment. If the right form of expression is used, the audience will find entertainment themselves.
The subject of the work was life and human emotions themselves. Indeed the movements depicted a range of distinct, sometimes jerky but relatable arm flexes that exhibited feelings of anxiety, anger and sometimes even care such as when one of the male dancers held the female dancer with all his might where as she continued with her hand movement as though wishing to be let go. Then came a sudden jerk from the male dancer and the female stumbled to her feet, in perfect execution. Koresh used the space of an hour and some minutes to portray 14 sections of dance routines that seemed to be compiled like mini-stories of one big narration. There was practically no use of props and for good reason too, as the choreography was designed to bring forth a sense of passion in the rigors of everyday life, displayed with exquisite finesse and skill at the hands of the experienced crew, something props might have possibly taken away from.
The performance majorly followed the contemporary form of dance, with a mixture of ballet techniques with maybe a little inspiration from jazz. The approach was consistently modern though and it appeared to complement the intention of the choreographer beautifully. The picture he painted was that of humans undergoing various emotions that could only be supplemented by seemingly inconsistent moves, lifts, falls, jitters and gyrations. Coupled with an eerie background music that seemed to be comprised of African drum beats with dabs of the banjo, the piece was serene yet very communicative of the proficiency of the choreographer in achieving human-inspired burst of emotions through contemporary dance.
The performance of Shannon Bramham stood out for me the most. Her exquisite execution, from the lifts and spins all communicated a sense of passion for her work, as well as the finesse of the choreographer. In parts where the entire crew would stay still while she was at one corner of the layout performing, I could notice every detail of her stretch, twirl and reach. It was very inspirational.
My thoughts throughout were regarding the theme that was the centerpiece of the dance Sense of Human. At first it was hard to relate the choreography to the title but as the minutes strolled by, one could see the detailed reference to human emotions and the impact they created. The strongest aspect of the dance was the fact that there were no props at all, and there were no discernable weak points. The lack of props centered the focus squarely on the limbs. The gradual relation the movements developed with the title led me to believe that sincere belief in ones choreography could easily communicate the desired message to the audience. Perhaps one thing that left to be desired was a deeper storyline, but that is indeed a very small gripe.
Second performance Patio Plastico
Title Patio Plastico
Choreographer Brian Sanders
Venue Equality Forum
Duration 40 mins
Date of attendance 30th Apr 2010
The Critique
The primary intention here was simply to capture the essence of the beauty of the male physique while depicting the superficial nature of humans today through dance. The storyline was the main centre of attraction here, as the choreographer was aiming to highlight the way humans tend to prefer artificial objects such as patios over the more natural grass and herbs. The movements were slow and strenuous, displaying a sense of finesse and muscle power involved in the process greatly emphasizing the beauty of the human anatomy. The artificiality of todays world was the subject, and this was brought into the limelight by carefully timed grins of dancers playing guests as well as the all-smiles nature of the patio dwellers. The space was well utilized with lighting playing an important part in setting the mood and the message. Visual elements encompassed much of the available space, with dancers being painted vivid silver and being flung in the air in perfect sync. Special attention was given to props with wide usage of acrylic clothing and shirtless male dancers posing inside of picture frames. It was a unique experience.
As with any innovative choreographer, the style was a mixture of different styles fused together to create something original. Contemporary dance was the main focus and elements of modern dance were plentiful throughout. The music was conservatory and accentuated the concepts the choreographer wished to emphasize well, especially in scenes where the male physique was dominant. The dancer that particularly stood out was the one involved in the picture frame sequence. His presence was paramount in sequences where he posed in the frame himself or juggled them like a gymnast. His physique, of course, was most glaring in these depictions.
Brian Sanders choreography spoke volumes about his status as one of the most innovative choreographers Philadelphia has ever produced. His work did relate in a positive way to his own feelings about his sexuality, his ideologies regarding the American culture and dance in particular. The impact it generated was clear and similar to the Koresh performance, aspired me to simply believe in the quality of work I can produce. It also highlighted an important aspect of choreography for me the storyline. Dance is a great way to confer a message to your audience.
This piece displayed the ability of the masters at work. They inspired me greatly not just to dance but to think out of the box and come forth with my own ideas, no matter how odd or surreal they seem. Sense of Human executed the same beautifully. My perspective on dance has been altered significantly in so much that I do not look upon it simply as a means of entertainment. If the right form of expression is used, the audience will find entertainment themselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment