~ Author: Oberon
Thursday May 2nd, 2024 - Down at the Martha Graham Dance Company's homespace on Bethune Street, the GrahamDeconstructed series continued this evening, delving into the background of the great collaboration between Martha Graham and composer Aaron Copland (photo above) that produced an American classic: APPALACHIAN SPRING.
Just a fortnight ago, we'd seen the ballet in its iconic Isamu Noguchi setting at NY City Center. Tonight, some parts of the Noguchi set were not in place, but the dancers wore the costumes and instantly became the people they were portraying. The Pioneering Woman does not appear in the suite, but I kept imagining Leslie or Natasha standing there in the trademark red gown, gazing afar from the porch.
The Company's Artistic Director Janet Eilber spoke of the collaboration between Martha Graham and Aaron Copland that resulted in this masterpiece. I was already familiar with these stories, but I never tire of hearing Ms. Eilber tell them.
Then the dancing began. Anne Souder and Jacob Larsen had made such a vivid impression in their roles as the Bride and the Husbandman last month at City Center; it was so pleasing to see them again (so soon!) as these mythic characters. In the studio setting, their dancing - and their embodiment of the young couple - became a palpable experience.
Lloyd Knight as the Preacher danced with his customary power and commitment; you have to go back to people like Nureyev, Juilo Bocca, and Jock Soto to find dancers of comparable flair and charisma. My feeling is that the Preacher has a duel nature and that deep conflicts gnaw at his soul. Over time, this has been so true of so many men of the cloth; Lloyd conveys it all in his striking portrayal.
The four Followers were So Young An, Meagan King, Devin Loh, and Amanda Moreira; they were a charming and agile quartet; Ms. Moreira, who I had not seen before, fit deftly into the ensemble.
During a Q & A after the dancing was over, someone asked, "What does it mean to be a Graham Dancer?" Anne Souder gave a thoughtful and beautifully expressed reply which moved me and which increased (if that is possible) my admiration for her, and for all the dedicated Graham dancers. Lloyd Knight seconded Anne, and he spoke of the incredible Denise Vale, who was, until recently, the Company's Associate Artistic Director. I miss Denise's warmth, her hugs...and her sly sense of humor.
The whole evening had a deeply "Graham" resonance, as if Martha was looking down from on high and feeling that all is well in the world she created for us. Adding to the delights of the evening was running into Graham legend Blakeley White-McGuire, a goddess roaming the Earth in human guise.
UPDATE: Photos from the evening by Maclaine Lowery:
Anne Souder as The Bride
Amanda Moreira, Meagan King, So Young An, Devin Loh, Jacob Larsen, Anne Souder, and Lloyd Knight (with me and my friend Kyu watching from the front row)
Janet Eilber gives us information about the work's background
Lloyd Knight as the Preacher with his Followers
Anne Souder
Jacob Larsen and Anne Souder
Performance photos by Maclaine Lowery, courtesy of the Martha Graham Company.
Thanks, always, to the Company's press agent: Janet Stapleton.
~ Oberon