Friday February 11, 2011 - A second showing of Robin Becker's INTO SUNLIGHT was presented at the 92nd Street Y tonight. Kokyat and I have been following the creation of this work ever since we connected with Robin thru one of her dancers, Paul Monaghan. Inspired by David Maraniss's book THEY MARCHED INTO SUNLIGHT and set to commissioned score by Chris Lastovicka, the dancework will have its official premiere at the University of Wisconsin this Spring with additional performances at Hofstra University.
Nicole Sclafani, Yoko Sugimoto-Ikezawa and Lisa Clementi
What makes Robin Becker's INTO SUNLIGHT particularly moving is her use of very young dancers to tell the story of events from a time in October 1967 when - in the course of a few days - there was a tragic ambush of a platoon of US troops on patrol in the jungles of Vietnam while at home - in Madison, Wisconsin - an anti-war protest against recruiters from Dow Chemical (producers of napalm) on the University campus turned violent. The boys in Robin's company are of an age where they would have been shipped overseas to fight, and the girls would have been home anxiously waiting for letters from their husbands, brothers and boyfriends serving far away. Or they might all have been in college, joining in the protest movement.
David Maraniss, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of THEY MARCHED INTO SUNLIGHT, the book which was a source of inspiration for Robin's work.
Cellist Eric Edberg (above) along with vocalist Bison Toron performed during the evening.
Paul Monaghan with Nicole, Lisa and Yoko
Among the dead: Nicole Sclafani wanders thru a cemetary at night...
...into a dream-duet with the vision of her brother (Paul Monaghan) who was killed in the October ambush on the very day she dreamt of it.
Paul & Nicole
Matthew Tiberi, one of the Hofstra dance division students participating in INTO SUNLIGHT.
Nicole Sclafani, Chazz Fenner-McBride and Jessica Pulcini
Yoko is borne across the battlefield in a slow-moving sculptural formation, the opening passage of the work.
In an incredibly poignant passage, a young widow visits the grave of her dead husband: Yoko Sugimoto-Ikezawa and Hofstra's Joseph Jehle.
Yoko & Joseph
Robin Becker speaking to the dancers prior to the presentation. A large and attentive audience seemed spellbound by the work of the young dancers and by the music of composer Chris Lastovicka as well as the live performances by Mr Edberg and Ms. Toron.
Ensemble of dancers, Robin's troupe and the Hofstra students. My hope is that Robin will be able to present the completed work here in Manhattan in addition to the scheduled performances in Madison and at Hofstra.
All photo by Kokyat, from the pre-show run-thru.
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