ADF 2011 "wrap-up"

Hm. So, clearly, I didn’t finish my ADF reviews because the end of the summer swept me off my feet, leaving no time to even think of composing a blog post. So this will sum up the rest of the shows I missed writing about. I started writing out a full Eiko & Koma piece but I’ll just do a light sum-up of the other shows so this post isn’t 5 years long.

Eiko & Koma - River (1995) in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens pond:

Yes, they performed in a pond. I was there for some of load-in and most of strike and it was super intense. The week before, various shifts of people were in the shop building 17 very large wooden platforms that we sunk into the pond so Eiko and Koma could walk along their dance pathway and didn't have to awkwardly tread water while trying to perform.

The whole show experience ended up being so beautiful. The pathway from the parking lot to the pond was lined with candle luminaries, the sun had just set so the crickets and frogs were chirping, there were yummy smelling citronella candles too.

For anyone that has ever seen these two perform, you know what I mean when I say they move slowly. It's nice and beautiful, but seeing it once was enough for me. My favorite part of the performance was all the different elements you could pay attention to. At some moments, I just stared at the stars, listened to the insects and music, enjoyed the reflecting ripple effect the stage lights created on the surrounding trees...it was pretty pleasant. Very humid though.

Emanuel Gat - Brilliant Corners (2011) in DPAC:
This was the only show of the summer I'm sorry to say that I might have fallen asleep during...I don't think I actually did, but I definitely rested my eyes for a part of it. The lights were all overhead and were focused into a huge box. They were bright in the beginning but became uncomfortably dim throughout the entire middle section, which made it hard to focus so eventually my eyes just decided it was time to close.

Doug Varone and Dancers - Chapters from a Broken Novel in Reynolds:

Hands down my favorite show of the summer. I was on rail for the show so I couldn't watch it from the house, but I always stood as far downstage as I could during the shows so I could see it from as front as possible! His choreography is just my favorite way to move and getting to watch it up close by professional dancers four times was just extraordinary. AND he is coming to Beckley in September to set one of his pieces on us (West Virginia Dance Company) that we'll get to perform this season! So puuumped!

Shen Wei Dance Arts - Limited States in DPAC:

And this was my least favorite show of the season. Shen Wei dancers are such ridiculously beautiful dancers but over half the performance was improvised (I read that in an article so my inclinations while watching the show were true) and there were SO MANY technical elements that just made it way too much. Way too much. Not a fan at all this time around.

Past/Forward: Twyla Tharp's Sweet Fields, Martha Clarke's Etudes for Italy, and Bulareyaung Pagarlava's Landscapes 2011 ADF in Reynolds:

What a crazy show!! I was sound board operator and it was one of the more involved crew jobs I had this season. All three pieces were lovely and had really captivating parts that I didn't mind watching so many times. Since this show is performed by ADF students, there is a lot more time devoted to teching and rehearsing the pieces. It was great watching dancers I've taken class with perform on stage.

Paul Taylor Dance Company - Company B, The Uncommitted, Promethean Fire in DPAC:

Although I'm not much of a PTDC fan, this year's repertoire was more enjoyable than last year's. I don't have much to say, really. My favorite part was dressing up, sitting in the balcony, and watching the surprise flash mob that took place during the first intermission.

And BAM. ADF 2011 is over...so sad when something this amazing is finished, but...on to the next adventure...