2006-05-21- The Experience of Fathom
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Dance
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Experience of Fathom
jewishsightseeing.com, May 21, 2006
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2006-05-21- The Experience of Fathom |
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Editor's Note: We told what Fathom:
The Body As Universe was about in a previous article. In the
article below, Linda Cohen, a dance teacher, opens her notebook to share the
experience of watching the production. By Linda Cohen SAN DIEGO, Calif.—Huge painted panels are hanging upstage as the dancers morph through various sculpture grouping patterns in silence. The colors on the panels, as well as the costumes of the dancers, are mauve , natural and earthy tones. One man is the featured dancer and a lovely Japanese woman who glides through the movement with purposeful abandon during their duet joins him. A live chorus begins chanting, bells and other percussions are added and the excitement builds. The dancers exit, the panels are lifted and new ones are lowered. The side lighting gives an amber glow on the new panels, which bathes the lovely duet that follows. A male and female dancer perform while slapping rhythms on their own bodies, followed by two males, who perform an animal-like duet that is athletic and gymnastic. The chorus chants softly as other dancers enter using animal posturing and responses, evoking a nature theme. When the group exited the stage the panels were changing again while the chorus got louder and was accented by drums. These actions provided time for the dancers to change costumes for the next piece. The ability of these actions to stand alone and command the stage without the dancers completed the collaboration of the project as the dance, visual arts, vocals, instrumentals and lighting seamlessly connected Fathom as a total project. The next section featured three strong female dancers. The music was electronic, with flutes and strings, and had an Asian flavor. The Japanese dancer performed wearing a kimono-like top. Her dancing was memorable and mesmerizing. Her delicacy was balanced with her strength. The first noticeable audience response was a chuckle as two sparring men collapsed upon themselves in a heap. Light changes on the four panels produced a new effect as more dancers entered wearing kimonos, which gave the piece the Buddist touch that inspired the choreographer, John Malashock. Four pairs of partners finished the first act. The audience gave a good response. The dance technique was modern and the dancers were of high caliber with strong ballet training. Many of them were auditioned from out of the San Diego area, and it was refreshing to see some new bodies on stage in this ambitious project. Act II began with a male and female duet. The costumes were more sensual, the lifts more intimate and the music was becoming more dynamic. When another couple was added the contact became more intentional in its intensity. The next duet featured the two strongest female dancers, one in a transparent long jacket over a two- piece camisole and little boy pants. The slower body rolls produced a warm, flowing, quiet, calm, peaceful exploration. The next section had two trios dancing in red and black costumes, while the chorus and the music became more dramatic. The panels were changed to show strong geometric patterns. The movement matched the design in the panels as three men lifted a female around stiffly like an object. This was in contrast to the previously fluid and pleasing movements. The panels changing again became part of the performance, as is fitting for a multi-dimensional, multi-media work such as this project. The costumes were sensual in that they were attractively worn to emphasize the body, with bare midriffs and arms, palazzo pants and waist sashes. Finally the group began rolling into sculpture freeze-frames. The movement motifs returned to the beginning of the piece, bringing closure. The audience gave a standing ovation to this energetic, exciting innovative project. |
