Tag Archives: modern dance

Dec 08

A Tangible Metaphor: THE SLEEPRUNNER

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Sleeprunner_4

Merli V. Guerra and the cast perform Luminarium Dance Company’s The Sleeprunner. Photo: Ryan Carollo.

Presented by Luminarium Dance Company
Choreography by Merli V. Guerra & Kimberleigh A. Holman
Music arranged by Merli V. Guerra, Kimberleigh A. Holman, Christos Zevos

December 5 – 13, 2014
Multicultural Arts Center
41 Second St, Cambridge MA
Luminarium on Facebook

1hr, 20 mins. no intermission

Review by Kitty Drexel

“Well dreams, they feel real while we’re in them, right? It’s only when we wake up that we realize how things are actually strange. Let me ask you a question, you, you never really remember the beginning of a dream do you? You always wind up right in the middle of what’s going on.”

-Cobb, Inception (2010) written and directed by Christopher Nolan

(Cambridge, MA) In the director’s note, Merli V. Guerra and Kimberleigh A. Holman describe the most relatable elements of the Sleeprunner as “sleep, dreams, and the surreal.” The production incorporates the human need for sleep, modern dance, and tech design to create a tangible metaphor for a universal experience. At times grotesque but always beautiful, this production explores through motion what it is to experience a deep, meaningful rest. Continue reading →

Mar 03

Do the Research Before Enjoying: MAN IN A CASE

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Presented by ArtsEmerson: The World On Stage
Adapted from Two Stories by Anton Chekhov
Adapted and Directed by Annie-B Parson & Paul Lazar/Big Dance Theater
Choreographed by Annie-B Parson
Featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tymberly Canale, Chris Giarmo, Paul Lazar and Aaron Mattocks

February 25 – March 2, 2014
Emerson/Cutler Majestic Theatre
219 Tremont Street
Boston, MA
ArtsEmerson on Facebook
Baryshnikov Productions on Facebook
Big Dance Theater on Facebook

Review by Kitty Drexel

My apologies to ArtsEmerson, Big Dance Theatre, Baryshnikov Productions and anyone else I forgot to mention for the tardiness of this review. I was waylaid by illness this weekend and couldn’t complete my review.

(Boston) Man in a Case is effective theatre that turns Chekhov on its head while retelling the two classic stories “Man in a Case” and “Almost Love.” It does not bridge the 19th and the 21st centuries as advertised. It does, however, transport the viewer into an existential dreamspace/nightmare of meta and experimental theatre. Just in case one is mislead by my description, this was an interesting, thought-provoking performance but it’s not light fare for a family hoping to experience “culture” in the city. Man in a Case could be considered “weird” and weird theatre can be exquisite. It all depends on perspective. Continue reading →

Sep 16

Poetry in Motion: Luminarium’s “Secrets and Motion”

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Photo: Ryan Carollo, Melenie Diarbekirian, Rose Abramoff, and Mark Kranz in A Secret in Three Phases

Luminarium’s “Secrets and Motion”
Featuring the choreography of Merli V. Guerra and Kimberleigh A. Holman

Review is based on the Sept. 14, 2013 performance
More of Luminarium’s events can be found here.

Center for the Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02143
Luminarium Dance on Facebook

Company: Rose Abramoff, Jess Chang, Melenie Diarbekirian, Jessica Jacob, Mark Kranz, Amy Mastrangelo, Katie McGrail
Guest Performers: Emily Evans, Elena Greenspan, Rachel McKeon, Jennifer Roberts, Emily Sulock
Collaborating Artists include: Larry Pratt, Photographer; Hannah Verlin, Installation Artist; Caryn Oppenheim, Poet

Review by Kitty Drexel

(Somerville) Luminarium Dance is dedicated to creating a unique experience for its audience by consistently using contemporary and modern dance with aspects of lighting to push the performance envelope. In Secrets & Motion they use the simple lighting design to compliment the choreography. The shadows created by the motion of their bodies become an extension of the dancer as well as an extension of the set. Combined with companion art installations and video that occur in the same gallery as the dance, theirs is a powerful play on poetry in motion and the mysteries hidden in the light and dark. Continue reading →

Nov 17

Dance, The Way Ninjas Intended: “The Radio Show”

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Photo credits: Steven Schreiber and Renee Rosensteel.

 

WORLD MUSIC/CRASHarts PRESENTS THE BOSTON DEBUT OF
Kyle Abraham / Abraham.in.Motion
Performing the Boston premiere of The Radio Show
Friday, November 16, 7:30 pm | Saturday, November 17, 8pm
The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston
100 Northern Ave
Boston, MA 02210
Abraham.in.Motion Facebook Page

Review by Kitty Drexel

(Boston) Kyle Abraham and his troupe move like dancing ninjas. We are very lucky that they aren’t because everyone knows that if you can see the (dancing) ninja, you are already dead.

The Radio Show is a celebration of music and its effects on personal history and cultural identity. The pieces included in this production are inspired by the closing of a Pittsburgh radio station that Abraham listened to growing up. The pre-show includes Duwop radio hits and Abraham himself chatting up the audience. “AM 860” and “106.7 FM” are two dance overtures that explore range of motion while delving deep into the cultural impacts of hip hop, R&B, rap and pop music. Continue reading →