Wednesday January 9, 2008 - Prior to tonight, I'd never been to Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet's home theatre on West 26th although I have read about it on other blogs (I've borrowed a Kristin Sloan photo of the theatre from The Winger) so I was genuinely excited by an invitation from Caleb Custer to attend a special rehearsal and blogger meet-up on the eve of the Company's first performance of a new programme.
Left, Cedar Lake's artistic director Benoit-Swan Pouffer with one of my favorite dancer/choreographers Edwaard Liang at a Cedar Lake opening a couple years ago. Getting ready for the rehearsal, I took a look at Cedar Lake's roster - so many attractive dancers! Entering the theatre I immediately felt what a great space for dance this is (it was formerly the studio of photographer Annie Leibovitz). There was a short pre-curtain meet-and-mingle session - something I'm not very good at so I was very grateful to have my fellow-bloggers Tonya Plank and Ariel Davis there for emotional support. Great to see Kristin Sloan, Gwyneth Muller and David Hallberg from The Winger and to meet other bloggers {Evan, Doug, Taylor...and the mysterious CounterCritic!}. Check out a brief Cedar Lake video clip here.
M. Pouffer greeted us briefly with his melodious voice and then let his dancers do the talking.
SYMPTOMS OF DEVELOPMENT from choreographer Jacopo Godani is set to the jarring and forceful music of Ulrich Muller and Siegfried Rossert. Microphones play a part in the score: in addition to fragments of spoken narrative, the mikes are swung (producing ominous swooshing noises), struck and used to amplify the breathing of the dancers. The work shows us a culture where technology and media have trumped humanity; the dancers seem remote and spritually vacated or even drugged into stupors in some cases. They dance in various combinations but they don't connect on an emotional level; group dances have a tribal feeling but it is a tribe of automatons. Vestiges of human feeling surface from time to time only to be swept away. The Cedar Lake dancers are incredible here for their power and commitment; I have to single out Ebony Williams (photo) for the speed, clarity and dramatic force of her solo; she is one of the most arresting dancer personalities I have ever encountered. Among the men, Jason Kittelberger was almost frightening in his intensity while Nickemil Concepcion brought a sense of vulnerability that belied his big, strong physique. Projections, including an anatomical essay on the effects of the heel in human development, and superb lighting throughout greatly enhance this powerful and thought-provoking work.
For TEN DUETS ON A THEME OF RESCUE by choreographer Crystal Pite a semi-circle of standing spotlights created the atmosphere of a prison yard. Using music from the film SOLARIS (by Cliff Martinez), Pite gives us a series of over-lapping duets which range from the combative to the tender, with elements of escape and pursuit. A sense of urgency alternates with moments of despair or resignation. The music creates an other-worldly sensation. Of the dancers, Jon Bond (photo) was fantastic: running in place in pursuit of one of the girls - but never gaining ground - he collapses with frustrated effort...what an image he created! Again the lighting and the forceful use of the spots was a key element.
In RITE, set to Stravinsky's RITE OF SPRING, choreographer Stijn Celis sets himself the task of working to a score that already has many established dance images associated with it. Inevitably there were echoes of past interpretations, but Celis sets the piece on an exotic species of birds or insects who perch and flit about the stage. Curious but timid, these creatures observe one another warily; they appear both alert and fearful. Spasms sometime afflict them, and leaping frenzies. Both the men and the women are clad in colorful dresses of stiff-standing material appliqued with bright jewel-like patterns. These mini-skirted frocks are low-cut and strapless, defining the beautiful chests of the men. All wear patchy kohl eye make-up which gives an exotic feeling reminiscent of some old photos I've seen from the days of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. The boys in their make-up sometimes have a Nijinskian look while the girls pass across the stage in shuffling line-ups that recall the Nymphs in L'APRES MIDI D'UN FAUN. So many references, yet the piece is clearly not a pastiche. I'm finding now, as I'm writing about it the day after, that the work left me with some really enduring images; at the time it seemed a bit over-long and repetitive but in retrospect I think I really liked it a lot. Again the Cedar Lake dancers were fascinating, especially Jon Bond and Matthew Rich (photo) in the expressive detail of their portrayal of these nervous, anxious creatures.
Looking ahead, Cedar Lake has announced an Angelin Preljocaj work, L'ANNONCIATION for next season. This choreographer's utterly unique LA STRAVAGANZA is something I remember well from it's New York City Ballet premiere. The chance to see the Cedar Lake dancers again will draw me back to their excellent dance-space in the future. Photo: Nickemil Concepcion in rehearsal with Benoit-Swan Pouffer.
UPDATE: Well, Alistair Macauley did not like RITE. Chacun a son gout!
Update: Caleb Custer has just sent me some additional photos from the Cedar Lake repertoire (thanks, Caleb!)...Jason Kittelberger in SYMPTOMS; Jessica Coleman Scott in TEN DUETS; and a couple of the 'set' and costumes for RITE, with Heather Hamilton in the foreground in the far right photo.
Haha -- something YOU'RE not very good at! Have you ever met so many shy people :) I'm really glad though that I'm not the only one ... I now realize the more someone writes on their blog, the more shy they tend to be in person :)
That was so fun. But, ugh, first Wei will not let you stay out with us and now he's booting you off the computer!!! The nerve!
I am ten years old, so I'm still all giggles that Danny Tidwell said hi to me and David Hallberg shook my hand...
Anyway, growing up a bit -- yes, I felt the same way you did -- I liked two pieces and some of the third. I'll look forward to your review.
PS: I'm really glad you came because I am far far far more socially awkward than you! Very very cool of Cedar Lake for organizing this!
Posted by: tonya | January 10, 2008 at 12:59 AM
Wei doesn't care if I stay out late...it's me - typical Cancerian - who can't wait to get home to him.
The computer glitch was pretty serious and it's taking me a while to get things back on track.
Posted by: philip | January 10, 2008 at 08:11 AM