Friday November 5, 2010 - We got connected with Robin Becker Dance thru Paul Monaghan, an intriguing young dancer we met earlier this year when he was working with choreographer John-Mark Owen. Above: Paul with colleague Nicole Sclafani, photo by Kokyat. Click to enlarge.
"Celebrating its twenty-third anniversary, Robin Becker Dance is dedicated to creating work that honors the wisdom of the body's primordial voice. Under the artistic direction of Robin Becker, the Company has an extensive repertory of work inspired by Ms. Becker's love of world traditions, Native American culture, and the work of the 13th century mystical poet Jelaluddin Rumi. Robin Becker Dance is internationally renowned for its contemplative and stunningly beautiful movement. In the tradition of those who choreograph from the depths of the unconscious, the choreography speaks with power and immediacy."
Reading the above passage on the Company's website, I had the feeling that I was really going to like Robin Becker and her work. I was right. Photo of the choreographer above by Kokyat.
The Company are currently developing a new evening-length work entitled Into Sunlight. The work will be the centerpiece for an inter-disciplinary symposium that will address issues of war and peace and focus on the effect of war and violence on the social body. The new work will premiere at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in March 2011 then travel to Hofstra University in April 2011.
I arrived at the studio with the rehearsal underway; the full Company were present but had just finished a full run-thru. Robin wanted to work on a men's trio segment so most of the girls left and the choreographer started working with the three boys: Chazz Fenner-McBride, Paul Monaghan and Eddy Brito (photo above).
The twisty, extending choreogrphy for this trio was really nice and I took a few pictures of the boys. It starts with some genial rough-housing but then turns poignant with images of brotherhood, loss and solace.
Eddy, Chazz and Paul.
Borne from the battlefield
The boys periodically checked an earlier rehearsal video to freshen the details. We'd seen Eddy (above left) dancing before at Amy Marshall's audition and with her group at the Dance Parade this past summer. He's a really good, passionate dancer and Robin seems to be bringing out his poetic side. Chazz - in the middle, above - is a modest and sincere guy who seems terribly young (they all do, actually). Robin worked with them to extend shapes and gestures and to deepen their rapport as comrades-in-arms stuck in a lonely place far from home.
The photos from the boy's trio were done on my Lumix.
Later, after a break, Kokyat arrived and we went to another studio where a duet for Nicole Sclafani and Paul Monaghan (above) was being worked on. References to the archangel Gabriel's annunciation-appearence to Mary are woven into a war-related story where a young woman dreamt of her brother's death in Vietnam: a death that came to pass.
A first look at this work-in-progess may be experienced at the 92nd Street Y on Friday November 12, 2010 at 8:00 PM. Details here. Today Ms. Becker and her troupe were preparing for this preview-showing. Here are some of Kokat's images of Nicole Sclafani and Paul Monaghan working on the duet:
The piece is inspired by the book THEY MARCHED INTO SUNLIGHT by David Maraniss. As soon as Paul Monaghan told me about this work I purchased the book and about two hours before I left for the rehearsal I picked it up...and had a hard time putting it down. Beneath its factual simplicity lies a vast depth of sorrow and horror: many of the boys described will not return from the jungles of Vietnam or ever see their families and lovers again. Both the book and the dance work it inspired are - unfortunately - very timely, proving yet again how little progress mankind makes as the years fly by.