02/03/2014
Soaking
WET
By: Joel Benjamin
Jordan
Isadore in “Petrushka”
(Photo
credit: Kurtis Ostrom)
Soaking
WET,
a mini-dance festival presented by David Parker and Jeffrey Kazin and curated
by Valerie Gladstone at the West End Theater, featured dances by both veteran
and emerging choreographers in several programs that were beautifully and
smoothly presented. I caught a program which showed off the active imaginations
and wit of four dance makers.
“Being”
was a solo created and danced by the statuesque Khaleah London whose chic,
one-piece yellow costume—tight and revealing on top and loose-legged—perfectly
accentuated her undulating upper body and sharp leg movements. The accompanying
soundtrack by Dove, Kyles and London included distorted speech that often
sounded like scat singing. She moved cleanly into leans, dips, lunges, with
soft high kicks that miraculously tilted her. This was a study in contrasts.
“Axis
Obliquity” was a duet choreographed by Angela Maffia which she danced with
Blaine Horton, both dressed in next-to-nothing blue outfits. They never touched
and assumed calm, cool visages as they passed each other, their arms
semaphoring, their legs moving from front to back. At one point they assumed
prostrate positions side-by-side and performed light balletic sissonnes (a jump
from two feet to one). All the movement was clearly influenced by the classical
ballet vocabulary. The two dancers acquitted themselves well. The bell-like
score by Hung I Chan was as even tempered as the movements and the relationship
of this well-behaved couple.
“Interlude”
by Heidi Latsky to a drumming score by Jon Mueller had the feeling of a dark
ritual, one that never builds much momentum. Ms. Latsky, the director of Heidi
Latsky Dance, is “dedicated to promoting inclusion and diversity in the arts”
and, indeed, her six dancers included one with one slightly smaller arm and
one, I am told, who is deaf. On a darkly lit stage, the performers in all sorts
of variations of ripped black material—bedraggled tutus, torn tee shirts,
ripped shorts—were each arrayed in a bent, twisted pose, one arm up and one arm
down, hands clenched, effectively camouflaging any one dancer’s physical
problems. The six struck different poses as one became unstuck and moved slowly
among them. That was the entire structure until the end when the cast slowly
moved off together. Although there wasn’t enough development or variety, the
six dancers performed well and kept the intensity up. The six dancers were
Meredith Fages, Jerron Herman, Jordan Holland, Latsky, Saki Masuda and
Alexandria Wailes.
The
program ended with “Petrushka” assembled by Jordan Isadore and Nicole Bridgens
to pop songs by Michael Jackson and Missy Elliott as well as a riff on
Saint-Saëns’ “Swan.” Dressed in scruffy, loose long johns, a mesh top and a
blonde top knot wig, his face decorated with bee stung lips and exaggerated
blush, Mr. Isadore flung himself about like a demented puppet—hence the title. There
was a subtle triangle theme to the props and arm positions as he threw himself
against the wall, often walking about à la Milton Berle, on the inside of his
feet, his knees knocking, a gooey clown figure. He jiggled and wiggled and
finally wound down becoming a pathetic figure in the dark. There were elements
of drag and commedia in this solo which could use more thought and development.
The basic idea needs expansion.
Ms.
Gladstone and the Messrs. Parker and Kazin did a great job choosing this varied
and interesting combination of ballets, all of which held the attention and
emotions of the audience.
Soaking
Wet (January
30 – February 2, 2014)
West
End Theater, 263 West 86th Street between Broadway & West End
Avenue, in Manhattan
Tickets
and Information: 212-337-9565 or http://www.thebanggroup.com
Running
time” one hour with no intermission
