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DANZ QUARTERLY Issue No 11
April, May, June 2008
Reviews
Complexions Contemporary Ballet
ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre,
Auckland
December 2007
Reviewed by Francesca Horsley
The thunderous opening bars of a Chopin piano marzurka blasted away any expectations of nuance, light and shade from New York’s Complexions Contemporary Ballet. The opening work, ‘Dear Frederic’, stamped out a forceful presence that reverberated throughout the programme – virtuosic displays of movement that pushed technique to its physical limits, an emphasis on the body aesthetic, and a dominating masculinity.
The programme, reflecting the journey of the company’s artistic directors and founders, Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, two renowned Afro-American dancers, was loosely based on a chronology of works from 1998 to 2007 choreographed by Rhoden.
Technique and stamina characterised ‘Dear Frederic’, a lengthy ensemble work from 2007 featuring the full company - seven male and seven female dancers – performed at a grueling pace. It featured vertical lifts, slicing arm and leg rotations, tucking, flexing, spinning and astounding gymnastic physicality. Described as an investigation of freedom within form, the dancing was sublime, and yet the emphasis on athleticism and the repetitive fortissimo piano dominated the movement.
Act II involved contrasting solos, duets and trios. Gone, an emotional piece for three dancers explored oppression, struggle and conflict. The use of ballet steps to express a journey of suffering by Afro-American men provided an interesting tension.
‘The Hardest Button to Button’, a hip-hop solo by choreographer Abdur-Raham Jackson was an intensely-focussed piece – grungy and dynamic with brilliant dancing. ‘Not Ready for Love’, a duet that explored the emotional dynamics between a man and a woman revealed the remarkable flexibility of the dancers, with breathtaking extensions and precise timing.
‘Lux’, a trio with equally captivating movement, reinforced the emphasis on physicality. In both pieces, there was something of a dislocation – intended or otherwise - between the music, its vocals and the choreography. Solo, a piece from 1998, was a tour de force. Richardson’s dancing and Rhoden’s choreography was brilliantly combined, its force and depth magnetic.
The final ensemble work, ‘Pretty Gritty Suite’, a tribute to the musical genius of Nina Simone, was a clever, subtle piece with intricate, sliding hand and foot movement.
The programme featured exacting execution of virtuosic choreography – something that is not part of our local dance vocabulary – and was breathtaking to watch. And yet, the level of focus and Olympian energy required by the dancers left little space to engage with the works. Light and shade create the space for audience empathy and connection - something Complexions had difficulty in achieving.
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