DANZ QUARTERLY No 10 December 2007
Reviews
Dance Your Socks Off Festival
Wellington, September 2007
Reviewed by Lyne Pringle
(excerpts from www.theatreview.co.nz)
Crows Feet Dance Collective directed by Jan Bolwell has developed a well-deserved reputation and following as a community dance group for mature women. In the programme they presented this year there was a coming of age – they danced magnificently together – a testament to their dedication as a group. This year’s programme is their strongest yet. The central work by Jan is entitled Requiem and is dedicated to her sister who died recently of cancer. Each year, since its inception in 1999,
Jan has choreographed a major work for the group - she has become an expert at this.
“Requiem” was a gorgeous piece, the strengths of each of the 17 dancers were skilfully woven to make rich and moving dance. Wearing silks of sunset hues, which were specially selected in Vietnam by the costume designer, the group was an impressive sight. Bolwell used the music to structure each movement as the mood of the piece swung from tenderness, to rage, to nostalgia, to hope.
Sue Leask took a central role and danced with grace and dignity; in one memorable section she was passed lovingly from person to person, held up by the support of her community. Jan manages to articulate the anatomy of grief by using central characters and strong unison from the chorus. Suzanne Renner made a guest appearance on the programme and danced with litheness and feeling. A snappy choreography from Jenny Cossey completed the programme.
“An Alternative Version of Your Own Life”was a dance performance featuring the work of two emerging choreographers. Virginia Kennard presented two works in the programme. “Order within Disorder” is based on mathematical theory. The choreographer states very clearly her intentions about the activities of the dancers in the space and their progressions towards and investigation of 'three chaotic sets': The Lorenz Attractor, Poincare Recurrence and The Mandlebrot Set.
This is ambitious and intriguing material for sure, there is no doubt Kennard brings an intelligence to her work: conceptually driven dance placing the human form in the midst of abstraction with a puzzling overlay of drama to portray intricate, intellectual choreography of the mind.
Whilst there is inventive use of repetitive movement to convey these concepts, there was little excitement and eventually the work floundered due to a lack of rhythm and dynamic changes. But there is meaty potential in these explorations.
Kennard's second work, “The grass is always greener”, revolved around a simpler concept of 'struggle and search'. Here she was stronger choreographically, exploring tight unison and interesting structures in the space. Two tribes in black and white moved through various variations on coveting each other's realities. Some of the floor-based choreography really started cooking and cat like gestures held interest as the themes were developed strongly, again propelled by some effective lighting. Celine Catoen danced well. Motifs of carrying other members of the tribe were repeated: it was pleasing to really sense the weight of a body as it is dragged and lifted and there was a very effective 'fight' duet sans use of the lower arm. However clumsy exits and entrances at times highlighted how limiting Bats can be as a dance venue. Eventually the strong choreographic craft did not sustain the duration of this work.
“Hugger – Mugger”, the third work on the programme, was choreographed by Lorna Borret. It was an ambitious work that was all conceptual bones with no meat. Characters appeared onstage, we were filled with expectation as dressing becomes a ritual ... The dancers then stood suspended, awaiting scenes to inhabit. The soundtrack was compelling at times in this piece, provoking us to create narratives with our ears ... But the tension created early on eventually became soggy as the piece fails to ignite in terms of energy and rhythm. The element of surprise was not employed after the initial promise.
Kennard and Borrett have gathered together an enthusiastic and committed group of dancers who give their all to the choreographies with some pleasing dancing, although there is some unevenness technically which catches and distracts the eye.
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