Above: Max van der Sterre and Kerry Shea in Lydia Johnson's FALLING OUT, photo by Kokyat. This dancework, set to Philip Glass's 3rd Symphony, was created in 2006 and revived for Lydia's 2012 season at Peridance. FALLING OUT centers on a romantic triangle in which the tranquility of a domestic relationship is threatened by the appearance of another woman who captures the roving eye of Max van der Sterre.
Kerry Shea (above) portrays Max's established lady love...
...and Jessica Sand (above) is the woman who, at first perhaps unwittingly, causes the disruption by her mere presence.
In a complex pas de deux which is a continuous thread throughout the work, the central couple veer from tenderness to outright antagonism.
For a brief moment the man seems close to making a choice, yet he is continually drawn back to his longtime lover.
In the end, though Max and Kerry are still together, the situation remains unresolved.
FALLING OUT provides a sustained and demanding central role for the male dancer in which Max van der Sterre's magnetic stage presence and the compelling security of his partnering make a vivid impression. Kerry Shea, looking striking in a cerise frock, captures both the strength and vulnerability of the woman whose peace of mind is threatened: beautifully danced, Kerry's performance is marked by subtle shifts in facial expression that reveal the insecurities beneath the surface of a long-established relationship. Jessica Sand, in the physically demanding role of the 'other woman', spends quite a bit of the piece facing upstage; her upper back, shoulders and neck become expressive instruments even when we cannot see her face.
A quartet of women provide a sort of chorus for the work; at first they remain on the sidelines doing synchronized moves either prone or seated. Later they take a more active part in the drama. They seem to represent the man's past loves - no longer essential to him, but still unforgotten.
More of Kokyat's images from FALLING OUT:
Jessica Sand
All photography by Kokyat. Read more about this performance here, with more to follow.
