 |
 |
 |
|||||
|
| ABOUT TRaC |
Dance TRaC Spring 2005
Stephen Petronio's Retrospective Stephen Petronio's eclectic selection of pieces was something to behold; his exhilarating style of choreography coupled with his choice of original music made the performance captivating. His older pieces, though they may have lost some of their original meaning due to the passage of time, were still incredibly strong. Petronio chose to start the show off with "Prelude," a modest piece that captures the viewers even if it doesn't possess the energy of some of his other work. The dancers, who stretch like a Berlin wall across the center of the stage, use their slow, writhing movements to evoke a sense of vulnerability and sadness. Many of their phrases are repeated by multiple dancers at different points throughout the performance and, consequently, echo in your mind after the lights have dimmed and applause has rolled through the theatre. The music, a collaboration of David Bowie and the popular European band Placebo was incredibly catchy and, like the dance itself, lingered in one's mind well after the performance was over. "Lareigne," the piece that followed "Prelude," was almost the opposite. Juxtaposed to the single cluster of dancers in the preceding performance, "Lareigne" flew across the stage in a state of almost-giddiness. The dance was fast, unpredictable, even exhilarating at times and then slow and solemn at others. It felt as though the audience was waiting to see something revealed, waiting for whatever came next around the bend. Although a bit lengthy, the piece was beautifully crafted and held the attention of the audience throughout. Magic almost accompanied the movements of the dancers, who seemed to be guided by the strings of some invisible puppet masters hiding among the rafters of the universe. The blue lighting added an icy feeling to the piece and made it seem as though one was watching moths fly about the stage or snowflakes being blown back and forth by a strong breeze or wind. These images were greatly strengthened by the white, flowing costumes, designed by Manolo, which adorned the dancers. The most anticipated part of the show was Petronio's newest piece, "bud," debuted in contrast to this retrospective. The costumes, designed by Tara Subkoff/Imitation of Christ, were a bit clichéd. Two lone dancers moved across the stage, each dressed in one half of a suit jacket and small, red underwear. The dancers' movements were distinctly independent of one another yet continually related, a contrast that was captivating to behold. They danced to one another as much as they danced to the audience and it was obvious to the viewer that they were wholly dependent upon one another, one assumes, through love. The music, a piece by Rufus Wainwright, made the dance more relatable somehow and bounced around in your head for a good day afterwards. To finish up, Petronio chose "MiddleSexGorge," which seemed almost the polar opposite of "LaReigne." Where "LaReigne" was cool, "Gorge" was hot, where "LaReigne" was slow, "Gorge" was fast. The movements were quick and sharp, almost angry. The dancers continually writhed and gyrated as though possessed and reminded one of dancing flames, and image brought more to life by the red lighting and industrial music, which was by the band Wire. The costumes, again designed by Tara Subkoff/Imitation of Christ, were a bit distracting but nonetheless impressive and allowed the audience to see every one of the dancers' lines. In the end, one was left wishing to have seen more of Petronio himself on the stage, but his absences detracted only slightly from the overall impact of the performances; the talent of his company and the brilliance of his choreography partially made up for this.
|
|
