DANCE INSIGHTS OF MULTI-FACETED MODERN FAMILY LIFE
               And a Dancer Who Left Indelible Impressions in "Hush" 
                                              By D. Rane Danubian
        artssf.com, the independent observer of San Francisco Bay Area music and dance 
                                                                 Week of Feb. 26-March 3, 2010
                                                                  Vol. 12, No. 69
            Robert Moses’ Kin dance company has launched one of the most ambitious works in its 15-year history, a theater piece entitled “The Cinderella Principle,” premiered at the Yerba Buena Novellus Theater Feb. 25.
            The 11 dancers of this notable local troupe played out a drama about the countless modern facets of family life, abetted by an outstanding text and narration of Anne Galjour.  What theme could be more humdrum, more trite? But the insights of choreographer Moses and Galjour is to spotlight the immense variety of the topic in 21st-century America. The yearning to have children is explored on many varied levels with interracial couples, gay couples, alien couples from outer space, every-day couples, couples in regimented population-control societies, couples who turn to in-vitro fertilization, even one ménage à trois. The texts and the visuals (including wire figures and baby clothes) tell the story, which the dances remain largely abstracted, in a way that could apply to many titles, many themes.
            Galjour spins their stories and conversations out brilliantly, touching also on themes of intolerance. Alternating is an original score by the violinist Todd Reynolds, much of it excrutiatingly ear-splitting and percussive. The piece running nearly one hour also featured colorful set elements by Erik Flatmo.
            The salient characteristic of Moses’ dances is elaborate intertwining, whether of a couple’s  arms and legs, or of entire groups of 4, 5 or 6. This makes for a complex choreography that resonates, like a 5-part Bach fugue. Very little of it comes out of the standard dance handbook; the waist-bends, the neck twists, and the convoluted arm thrusts push the very limits of a human body’s agility over a thousand permutations. If it hasn’t been tried before, Moses is trying it as we speak. Moses also keeps working unusual pairings of very tall men partnering short women.
            While much of this dance flies by at dazzling speed, Moses is not above going to slow-motion scenelets by way of contrast.
            The dance program featured two earlier Moses opuses. The most memorable was the poetic moves of Katherine Wells in “Hush” (2008), a lengthy dance for two set to Vaughan Williams’ “A Lark Ascending.” Wells’ movements are never jagged darts, but rather controlled flows, interacting with partner Brendan Barthel, perhaps reflecting her earlier training in ballet as well. The lingering memory is of very feminine elegance and nobility.
            A larger group of eight populated “Towards September” (2009), which demonstrated the facets of Moses’ style and bodily manipulation, but devoid of a longer-term impact.
            His ensemble is a good one, with the women providing much of the expression and the men most of the lifting.
            Kin, Robert Moses’ San Francisco-based modern-dance company, through Feb. 27 at the Yerba Buena Novellus Theater, 3rd and Howard, San Francisco. For info: (415) 978-2787, or go online. 

        ©D. Rane Danubian 2010
                                       #
        D. Rane Danubian has been covering the dance and modern-music scene in the San Francisco Bay Area with relish -- and a certain amount of salsa -- for years.
    These critiques appearing weekly (or sometimes semi-weekly, but never weakly) will focus on dance and new musical creativity in performance, with forays into books (by authors of the region), theater and recordings by local artists as well.
                      #
                    Return to main menu