January 21, 2019
Dorrance Dance|Boston|January 18 7 19
Sue Katz READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Dorrance Dance has once again lifted up the Boston dance audience by elevating tap dance to scintillating heights. (They were presented by WORLD MUSIC/CRASHarts on January 18 and 19 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre.)
The artistic director, Michelle Dorrance, has won a dizzying array of awards, not the least a MacArthur "Genius Grant" in 2015. A Renaissance woman by any measure, she founded the company in 2010 and has served as its chief choreographer, lead dancer, and even costume designer. She is a tap historian with a visceral respect for those who have gone before, an educator, and an innovator. She attracts dancers from a plethora of backgrounds, out of which she fashions an ensemble with an elastic ability to surprise and delight.
This program consists of three pieces, two short and one long. By opening with the stylish "Jungle Blues," Dorrance highlights her own theatrical chops by drenching her dancers in an air of funky cool. Inspired by music from Fred "Jelly Roll" Morton, nine dancers bring vitality to the blues throughout their tap solos, their duets, and the harmonious work of the chorus line towards the back of the stage.
Meaningful eye contact and flirtatious smiles add to the glue that makes this piece both sharp and languid, even as one gets "drunk" sneaking gulps from her slim silver flask. The dancers are at once seductive and accessible, mixing the renowned musicality of tap dancers with witty athleticism. Special kudos to Claudia Rahardjanoto for her solo work.
The second piece "Three to One," to recorded music by Aphex Twin and Thom Yorke, opens with the legs of three dancers spotlighted at the front of the stage. Michelle Dorrance is in the middle, tapping the rhythms, and on either side of her are barefooted dancers, Byron Tittle and Matthew "Megawatt" West. She is the percussion; they are the movement. The shapeless black wraps they wear, covering chest to crotch, emphasize that it is all about the legs. The two men writhe and contort in fabulous forms until they surrender the stage to the unquestionable talents of Michelle Dorrance. She dances in and out of the spotlight as if seeking but not quite finding illumination, fading into the somber darkness at the rear of the stage as the curtain falls to a huge ovation.
The third and longest piece of the evening at 45 minutes is named "Myelination," a reference to a biological process that speeds up nerve impulses. While Michelle Dorrance is the prime choreographer, credit is given to all the dancers in recognition of their collaboration and their improvisations. Improv has always been a prominent element in this company and in "Myelination" Dorrance has achieved a seamless balance between choreo and individual self-expression. On-stage, as well, is the talented live band led by Michelle Dorrance's brother Donovan, who also composed the work with Gregory Richardson. The rich vocals by Aaron Marcellus are a highlight.
Repeating a theme, "Myelination" also opens to a trio whose legs are spotlighted and bodies are in shade. Employing break-dancing, aggressive seduction, and a mixture of dancer combinations, this piece is a talent showcase for the company. Two dancers in trainers and no taps perform, mostly from the floor, a wild, rough bout of love/hate. An anguished long-limbed Warren Craft appears to be boneless as he flops awkwardly. He turns scary when the magnificent Ephrat "Bounce" Asherie enters the scene. Later, he takes up an electric guitar, joining the band at its loudest and most hard-hitting.
The interactions in "Myelination" are complicated and the emotions are high as the music pounds. The soloists and duets range from the primeval to the dramatic. The tapping gains a superhuman velocity and the unison work boggles the mind. When the curtain falls, the audience rises in an excited standing ovation.
For upcoming dates for Dorrance Dance, .
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Sue Katz is a "wordsmith and rebel" who has been widely published on the three continents where she has lived. She used to be proudest of her 20-year martial arts career, her world travel, and her edgy blog Consenting Adult (suekatz.typepad.com), but now she's all about her collection of short stories about the love lives of older people, Lillian's Last Affair.
