Jennifer Reviews Jonah Bokaer
Screen, faces, smiling, interconnection, drama, tension, flashing lights are all components that shape the abstract performance of The Invention of Minus One. Jonah Bokaer’s performance at Abrons Arts Center Henry Street Settlement portrays the matters of life and human nature from strains of DNA to the complexities of relationships and emotions.
Award-winning dancers Holley Farmer, Rashaun Mitchell, and Banu Ogan breathe life into their movements, inhaling the audience’s attention with the complexities of the messages in the show and need for an open mindset.
When the performance commences, a screen is the backdrop of a set that appears in the midst of a photo shoot. Umbrellas are mounted on the screen making a three dimensional affect to the short silent film of people caught in candid moments. As the three dancers enter the stage their costumes appear to have a personality of their own, ranging from silver sparkles to tailored jackets. Instead of embodying the personalities evoked from their costumes the dancers remain neutral and allow the body’s movements to set the mood. The screen figures movements coincide with the dancers. The three dancer’s movements are almost robotic and structured to the point of ultimate beauty and technique. As the dance continues static and machine-like sounds are heard.
The dancers become synchronized as the dance becomes more intertwining and physically connecting. Large shadows of the dancers are cast across the walls of the theater while the screen shows images that appear as strains of DNA. Later on in the performance contrast is shown between the different components of life from strains of DNA to complexities of human relationships. A love triangle evolves between the three dancers. The male dancer moves from one woman to the other in a dance that evokes both passion and bitterness; leaving one woman to ponder in the darkness. Even as the new couples dance is taking place the eye is drawn to the woman in the darkness. Pictures are scattered across the stage; that were taken sporadically during the performance. The abandoned woman gathers up the pictures slowly, bringing them back to her corner; depicting how she is trying to piece back her life and find her identity. As the performance concludes the dancers are synchronized again, allowing room for healing and a need for connection that has become human nature.
The audience’s contentment with the performance is very apparent as they give a standing ovation. Many messages were illustrated - life is a matter of physics, survival of the fittest, but most of all, human nature is untamable and not meant to be understood, but surrendered to.
From: Voices
Emily Reviews Jonah Bokaer
A metal gate with rhythmic banging produced by Bokaer falling into it was the night’s hooking False Start. This energetic and intriguing piece bridged the way between human dance, and Bokaer’s work with image capture technology.
After that opening banging in the middle of the piece the gate is raised to reveal a screen where a multi-colored image of a body produces a movement that Bokaer then recreates on stage. It was quite surreal actually, the movement when you first see it appears difficult or inhuman, but after getting acclimated to it for a while it becomes natural and more fluid. They are connected gestures broken up, he stops when every muscle contracts or tenses up as if it were a slide show of freeze frames, or a flip book moving a bit too slowly.
The final piece The Invention of Minus One featured more of the same movement from Bokaer’s solo piece. The main attraction here was the set, it looked like a photography studio equipped with tripods, light banks, video cameras, 2 small screens, and a wall of umbrellas acting as the main screen. The umbrella’s created a distorted pattern for the images of the motion capture projected onto it. The dancer’s costumes done by Isaac Mizarhi created a fairy tale aspect to the environment. One looked like Cinderella, another like a Coachman and the second woman seemed like a mix of the two. A high point of the piece included the women holding glowing umbrellas making them look like jelly fish on the stage. They mostly used props of frames, shades, video cameras, and even Polaroid cameras. The movement was woven into the technology, which made the lack of dancing less of a problem and more of an asset.
From: Voices
Cathy reviews Jonah Bokaer
American Idol, Uggs, handbags that costs one month’s rent, these things appeal to us most, for they make up our everyday culture. Even though the premiere of Jonah Bokaer’s False Start and The Invention of Minus One, had style and elements you don’t expect to see on “America’s Best Dance Crew,” every moment of this performance was equally fresh. Besides the eye-catching contortions, whacky animations, flimsy clothing racks, and Polaroid cameras were what made this showcase truly stand out.
On March 14th, 2008 at the Abrons Arts Center in The Lower East Side, Bokaer began the night by starring in the first of his two pieces, False Start. The animation in False Start featured an animated figure of Bokaer, himself. The figure contorted as it stood in a box with vibrant, Van Gogh-like printed walls. The pastel background nicely accentuated the loose and continuous gestures of the silhouetted body. Following this was Bokaer, imitating the animated version of him in front of a lit blank screen on a completely dark stage. Like the figure in the animation, the dancer was placed in a contrasting space. The background music to Mr. Bokaer’s fluid, minimal choreography interestingly, sounded like the clashing of metal garbage cans and banging random objects together. The two pieces consisted of both tense movements that involved the use of many muscles, and rounded, smooth movement. The clothing racks, tripods, photographs, and cameras, as well as the coins hinted that the theme of opposites was also applicable to The Invention. While one may feel as if The Invention was based upon photography, one would also have to consider the “coin-tossing” component, too. From a posh photo-shoot setting to a quaint game of jacks, Bokaer leaves it up to the audience to extract the meanings.
The performance would have certainly been incomplete without its costumes by Isaac Mizrahi. Even further adding onto the concept of contrasts, was the selection of styles worn by the three dancers (The Invention), Rashaun Mitchell, Banu Ogan, and Holley Farmer. Farmer was the more boyishly dressed among the females (Ogan) but still not as masculine as Mitchell, wearing a cropped jacket, tank top, and elastic shorts. Ogan wore American Apparel-like silver tights and a sequined top. Counter to Ogan’s ensemble was Mitchell’s black tights and a simple charro jacket. The unconventionally combined features of The Invention and False Start most likely would not have worked otherwise, but it indeed made Jonah Bokaer’s piece worth watching.
From: Voices
Miriam reviews Paul Taylor Dance
I was privileged to attend the company’s opening night on Thursday at New York City Center. The music was engaging, the costumes brilliant and the choreography unlike anything I’ve seen before. And hey, thanks to High 5, you can also get in on this artistic action!
When the Paul Taylor Dance Company is at work, you won’t just be watching them perform—you’ll be living an experience that challenges you to let your own ideas interact with what you see. Even as you’re enjoying the show, you’ll be experimenting with your own powers of interpretation.
The first of the three dances, …Byzantium, takes its title and theme from the W.B. Yeats poem “Sailing to Byzantium.” The playbill includes the poem’s last line to focus audience members’ attention: “Of what is past, passing, or to come.” It wouldn’t hurt to brush up on your Yeats so that you can decide how Paul Taylor’s choreography might be playing with the poem’s images, themes and final line. I saw the struggling journeys, the bottom feeders on the ocean floor and the final arrival in Byzantium. Yeats’s Byzantium might not be an actual place, but instead an idea to understand. Taylor’s Byzantium gives rise to three figures—perhaps representing the past, the passing, and what is to come—moving in interconnected ways. They are soon joined by a fourth dancer, lending new dimension and meaning to the dance.
Of course there isn’t only one way to interpret what’s happening on stage. During the generous intermissions, you’ll have the chance to talk about it with your neighbors. It is to Paul Taylor’s credit that there will be plenty to discuss!
…Byzantium is followed by De Sueños (of dreams). The title warns audience members against searching for specific significance in what they’re about to see. Who knows what dreams might bring and what they might mean? In the meantime, the dancers’ movements create several narratives. The mood is initially light, but it is soon darkened by melancholy parades of characters—the cross dresser, the man holding and licking a skull, the doomed buck—as the stage becomes a playground for the grotesque, the beautiful and the surreal.
Arden Court uses its music and movement to innovate a more classical style. The variety in choreography demonstrates the breadth of Paul Taylor’s imagination and the strength of his commitment to taking artistic risks and engaging audience members. The dancers must possess not only physical, but also artistic stamina. They maintain high quality energy and execution.
As for the audience members, one thing is for certain—seeing the Paul Taylor Dance Company perform will be a great opportunity to stretch your mind. Once again, High 5 is giving you arts-goers the chance to see something new and exciting. It’s time to experiment and enjoy!
From: Voices
Emily reviews Paul Taylor
Paul Taylor’s Dream Season was an evening that truly played out like a dream, with initial drowsiness, vivid images and then a relaxing transition back to a conscious state. The dancing at times was forgettable, but the overall presentation of the evening created an enjoyable feast for the eyes at City Center on opening night.
The first piece …Byzantium was nicely structured, yet not very enjoyable. The dancing was not a showcase of talent, more just a presentation of numbers and arrangements. Four dancers act as royals, with gold and brightly colored costumes, the ensemble in gold act as soldiers moving in formations while the royals perform a ritual that lacks a human quality. It could be Taylor’s intention, as at the end of the piece they acquire another brightly colored royal, but by then it was difficult to care.
After that initial sedation, De Suenos (of dreams) allowed our imaginations to run wild. What at first seems to be another portrayal of the American West (Ailey’s Saddle Up, Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo) turns into a twisted parallel universe, equipped with a drag queen, a stag, a vision of light, and a creepy looking man wearing a mask and holding a skull. This piece was the first chance for the dancers of Taylor’s company to truly show off their talent. The stand out performance of this piece was a solo by the vision in gold. An enigmatic and graceful presence on stage, her movement was a slow mix of extensions and ballet like structures. At the end she is met on stage by the creepy man, she continues her movement until they eventually embrace. This moment sums up the experience of the piece, beauty tucked away living harmoniously in a land of the strange.
The final piece, Arden Court, was very traditional, peaceful and understated, with small surprises. Part of the piece included a series of duets with unconventional pairings. In traditional ballet the men only support the women while they dance, making the women seem dependent. Taylor in this work instead creates other relationships, a woman who uses the man as her prop while he continues to do his own individual movement making their dependence equal. For another couple the woman is in awe of the man who pays her no attention, while later a man vies for the attention of that same woman. He gets in the way of her legs and sits underneath her so she has to step on him for her to notice. She never does until he taps her on the shoulder. The last couple feature two men who acknowledge and use each other equally in their dancing. Arden Court on the surface appears very traditional when in actuality, one only had to look closer to see more diverse and unusual bonds explored here in this dance.
This collection of work was balanced and not overwhelming, the lull, excitement, and tranquil pattern allowed the audience to fully engage in Taylor’s dream, which is not easily forgotten or recreated.
From: Voices
Miriam reviews Parsons Dance
Last night I had the privilege and pleasure to see Parsons Dance perform at the Joyce Theater. Parsons Dance is renowned for presenting the latest and greatest of modern movement, music and artistry. And believe me when I say they live up to the hype!
The dancers are talented and visibly passionate, but they’re only one part of the show. The music is varied and the lighting outstanding. Both elements work to create a mood that enriches the experience of the performance. I’ve heard terrific things about David Parsons’ choreography, but nothing prepared me for how enraptured I would be when the performance opened with Closure. By the time Closure ended, I realized that I hadn’t yet torn my eyes away from the stage to take notes—or even blinked!
Sleep Study, another piece in the program, was just as enthralling from the moment the dancers came out in pajamas and started to toss and turn their way around the stage. It was not only entertaining, but also fascinating. Parsons Dance will challenge your expectations as it uses recognizable movements to leave strong, beautiful impressions.
Caught, Parsons’ signature piece, impressed me the most. Dancer Miguel Quinones put on a performance that was unlike any I’ve seen before. A strobe lighting concept, imagined by David Parsons and designed by Howell Binkley, made it look as though he was flying. It must have taken an amazing amount of speed and strength for Quinones to move so that every time the light flashed, he was in a different place on the stage—or in the air.
In The End was a conclusion especially exciting for Dave Matthews fans, as dancers moved to a medley of his songs. It was a wonderful, highly energetic last number, especially impressive in that the dancers had already been on stage for so long. Parsons Dance shows audience members the full potential of both physical and artistic movement. It is inspiring, exciting—and it’s available to you through High 5!
From: Voices
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