11/30/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Harkness Promise Award- Recognizes The Future

By Walter Rutledge

The 61st annual Dance Magazine Awards will take place on Monday December 3, 2018, 7:30pm. at The Ailey Citigroup Theater. Since 1954 the award has recognized accomplished individuals who have made an impact in dance over the course of their career. This year the awards honors choreographers Ronald K. Brown and Crystal Pite and dancers Lourdes Lopez and Michael Trusnovec. For the first time emerging artists will also be recognized through The Harkness Promise Award, designed to spotlight and assist two young artists for the potential of their artistic work while investing in the next generation of dance makers. Continue reading

5/2/16 O&A NYC REVIEW DANCE: Dallas Black Dance Theatre

By Walter Rutledge

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The Dallas Black Dance Theatre presented their annual New York City season entitled Masterworks Redefined on April 22 and 23, 2016 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. The extremely audience friendly concert offered five works by five dance makers. The works, which included two world premieres, one company premiere and two revivals, showcased the talents of emerging African- American choreographers and early works by more established artists of color.

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Every dancer dreams of flying and in the company premiere of Jamal Story’s duet What to Say? Notes on Echo and Narcissus (2015) the dancers got to defy gravity. The work served as a visually satisfying opener with dancer Claude Alexander lll suspended centerstage in a cocoon of white fabric over the plaint Alyssa Harrington. As the ballet developed the dancers utilized the natural momentum of the hanging fabric to produce a pleasant, yet sensual feeling of motion and weightlessness.

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Alexander’s partnering remained self-assured while suspended and a’ terre providing a good balance to Harrington’s abandon. The novel concept (novel for concert dance) is derived from the choreographer’s extensive aerial work with such pop music legends as Cher and Madonna. Although impressive the aerial choreography alone could not sustain the integrity of the work. In fact the work faired far better airborne than earthbound, but this can be resolve with more development on the already existing movement theme.

DBDT_Unearthed

Unearthed (World Premiere 2016), an ensemble work by Bridget L. Moore used a collage of music featuring various renditions of the iconic protest song Strange Fruit. A true abstract narrative, the work challenged the performers to convey more than steps. Moore created strong visual imagery coupled with good choreographic form.

Hana Delong as the grief-stricken mourner, who collapses downstage set the tone for the focused images that would follow. The upstage diagonal crossing into the darkness completed the feeling of sorrow and powerlessness. The imagery continued in a series of linear movement passages that included a militarized marching pattern set upstage and a defiant mid-stage line that went from a raised fist to pointing skyward to the martyred body.

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The second world premiere, Furtherance (2016) by Kirven Douthit- Boyd, took us from sorrow to celebration. The pastel colored costumes of tunics and shorts by Beth Thomason added a youthful light feeling to the ensemble work. Often athletic and high-energy, the ballet had ritual overtones, which assisted in conveying the transformation.

The second half of the performance presented two early works by Francesca Harper and Christopher Huggins. Instinct 11.1 is an abstract ensemble work by Harper opened Act II. The 2010 ballet was dedicated to her mother Denise Jefferson who lost battle with cancer that same year. The sextet (for four men Claude Alexander lll, Keon K. Nickie, Sean Smith, De’Anthony Vaughan and two woman Michelle Hebert and Kimara Wood) opened in silence, presenting snippets of movement that retreated back to darkness.

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The “teasers” eventually incorporated verbal sounds produced by the dancers, before the percussive score by Les Tambours du Bronx and the main body of the work began. Rhythmic and earthy the dancers exuded a hyper-masculine persona, poising with wide second position stances with clinched fists and working in visceral unison through circular patterns. The work returned to the opening theme ending in silence again accompanied vocally by the performers.

The program closed with Night Run by Christopher L. Huggins. Set in three movements the uptempo group work for the entire company had a Latin flavor inspired by Rene’ Aubry’s score. The 2003 work revealed elements of Huggins’ then emerging choreographic signature.

With a strong sense of design, good use of dynamics and theatrical undertones Huggins moved the ensemble with an ease and proficiency. Exploding movement and steadfast partnering buoyed the work making it a good program closer. Unfortunately the predictable use of ballet steps including pas de couru, pas de chat, and Brisé detracted from the overall strength of the work by breaking the stylistic continuity. Despite this inconsistency Huggins’ then budding talent was still apparent.

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The Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Masterworks Redefined performance series turned out to be an artistic leap forward for the company. This well curated program provided the company with a fresh, clear direction/message. We surmise the artistic cohesiveness has a lot to do with the return of Founder and former Artistic Director Ann M. Williams as Artistic Advisor. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/3/15 O&A NYC Dance: Earl Mosley’s The Hearts Of Men- A Dance Family

By Walter Rutledge

Earl Mosley

Earl Mosley didn’t choose to dance; dance chose him. Growing up in rural North Carolina Mosley was expected to farm the family land. After taking a dance class on a dare any expectations of living an agrarian lifestyle were lost to a career based in movement.

Mosley applied the life lessons from his upbringing to his dance philosophy. He believes that there is room to nurture the entire artist. Mosley has created more than a dance company, instead to establish a dance family.

The Hearts Of Men (presented as part of Ailey Extension) is a two-week workshop that brings together dancers and movement enthusiasts of different ages, disciplines and technical levels. The participant’s work with established teachers, choreographers and arts professionals culminating with two performances on Saturday, September 5 at 7pm and Sunday, September 6, 3pm at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. The philosophy is geared toward a return to artistic integrity. 

A Conversation With Earl Mosley

In an age when texting has replaced face-to-face conversation, Mosley has decided to create an environment based on sharing and communicating. He has designed a safe haven where artists can not only work on their craft, but also find solace from another person who is or has experienced a similar problem or situation. In other words, you are not alone

The concept is not new it is really a return to another era, when dancers didn’t usually travel by airplanes it was the director’s station wagon that became official company vehicle, and it lodgings were motels instead of hotels. Thankfully it was an era when dance had intrinsic aesthetic value, and was not just a trick laden competition sport. Despite the hardships and challenge those dancers describe their performance experiences as “a family”.

The two performances this weekend will showcase thirteen works by ten choreographers, and feature eighty performers including an array of accomplished guest artists. The works presented will range from dance theatre to abstract, from complete choreographic statements to movement studies. The common denominator throughout will be a terpsichorean brotherhood expressed through movement.

Tickets are $25 Adult $18 Students we suggest purchasing online to ensuring seating at http://www.alvinailey.org/hearts-of-men-performance.

 

 

 

 

O & A This Week: Tuesday, August 5 through Monday, August 11, 2014 Art, Dance, Film, Theatre … And More

By Walter Rutledge
Evan_Joseph_NYC34The first week of August is the height of the summer, and the same is true for the arts. This week an old master of modern art returns to midtown, while an up and coming dance company debuts in Central Park. Here are a few of the many events taking place in the city that never sleeps guaranteed to get you Out and About. Continue reading

Ailey II 2014 NYC Season begins Wednesday, April 2, 2014

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Ailey II, the youthful and gifted second company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, returns to its home, the Ailey Citigroup Theater,  405 West 55th Street at 9th Avenue, for their annual two week/ fourteen performance season Wednesday, April 2 through April 13, 2014. Continue reading

Dallas Black Dance Theatre at the Ailey Citigroup Theater

By Walter Rutledge

Dance Africa 5

The Dallas Black Dance Theatre returned to New York for a three-day four-performance season at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. This is the third consecutive year that the company has performed in New York and the eleven-member ensemble, under the direction of founder and artistic director Ann M. Williams, presented six works by new and emerging choreographers. Continue reading