Friday and Saturday night I had the opportunity to create spontaneously in a show called Anthology. It was held at Studio 900 on Dekalb Ave. in Inman Park area of Atlanta. The studio is a photography studio and an art gallery as well with an amazing vibe. I collaborated with Travis Barron as he beat boxed I moved. Complete improvisation entitled "id"and a completely satisfying experience. We performed in a white corner usually reserved for photo shoots which served as a stark contrast for our mostly black clothing. Travis wore a tux and I wore black pants, black short sleeve t and had a mask that completely engulfed my head. I made this one so that it would look a bit like the outside of the Disney Music Hall in downtown L.A. with panels of black foam which began and ended with points. The back of the mask flowed up into a plume much like a sinister rooster and the front of the mask had spikes and a strip of human hair flowing down. Once I completed it it reminded me of a Stealth Bomber combined with a lobster. Very Dali'. The lighting for the piece was up light which forced shadows onto the walls that created another level of dimension which at times superseded the 3 dimensional action that was going on in the foreground. I love that people looked at it through different eyes and each experience was unique and valid without us telling the audience what to think or how to react. The first of two nights was cool but the second night I really felt a connection to Travis and he locked into my motion. I could almost anticipate his sound and felt like he was doing the same with my movement. I am planning to do this again as I feel like we only peeled the first layer off of what we could offer each other in inspiration and collaboration. Thank you to Zerina Serulle and Beth Del Nero for curating this event.
Tonight I went to see the Spelman Dance Theatre's Spring Concert. The concert was made up of choreography by student and faculty as well. Stand out pieces were the solo by Isaac Rose and of course the one and only T. Lang. Isaac began his piece laying face down as his fingers ran along the floor like separate creatures as the drug his body to the center of the stage. His movement was weighted at times then at others light an lifted. He has a super long body so that made the movement more pronounced in it's various manners. The finale of the show was a new work named "Wii Play" by choreographer extraordinaire T. Lang. The piece began with a single dancer in siloette center stage winding her right arm slowly. The music was "Year of the Dragon" by Osso & Sufjan Stevens a violin piece that had intensity and texture. As the single dancer was spinning her arm for a while the other 16 dancers entered from stage left claiming the space. They were wearing bright colored leggings and various shaped tops as they arrived to their positions and faced front staring down the audience with an invitation to play. The single dancer still spinning her arm began a phrase of movement that went shooting through the entire cast and began the game. Spelman dancers are strong, determined and engaged and attacked this piece with a vengeance. Structurally speaking the piece kept unfolding into new sections breathing a fresh breath into the dance with each new phrase. There was a long bench spanning the entire back of the stage which served as a launching point for much of the dance and which T. Lang used quite creatively using it as a backdrop for movement as dance phrases were performe downstage. "Wii Play" ended with an explosion of energy and color that personally drew me to the edge of my seat then propelled me to my feet with applause. This piece marked the end of 7 dancers involvement with Spelman and T. Lang which with roses and tears T. Lang introduced them one by one as they took their final bows on the Baldwin Burroughs Theatre stage. I got to speak with a few of the dancers afterward to see what they had in the future and whether they are going to New York, San Francisco, or Italy these dancers have amazing futures ahead of them and I hope that performing in Atlanta is part of it.
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