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Robert Abrams
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Tina Croll + Company - Ancient Springs

by Robert Abrams
March 17, 2007
Danspace Project
131 East 10th Street (at Second Avenue)
St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery
New York, NY 10003
(212) 674-8112
Tina Croll Dance Foundation
240 West 14th Street
New York, NY 10011
212-675-2645
Tina Croll's Ancient Springs was a post-modern dance that built on her earlier work and took it forward. It had several features of post-modern dance I generally do not like, including a lot of randomness and dancers whose faces were expressionless. On the other hand, there were aspects of the show I did like. I thought there was an appealing smoothness to the movement. The show made repeated use of a movement I would describe as flocking. This is not just dancers moving together doing the same thing, but dancers moving across the stage as a flock of birds would move across the sky. The movement was coordinated but loose, and was quite beautiful to watch.

The show certainly had many inventive elements. A dancer skated on one roller skate. Styrofoam plates spilled on to the floor. There was a mix of solos, small group and ensemble numbers. Dancers glided across the floor wearing giant wings. Wings seem to be a theme in post-modern dance at the moment. There were karate kicks and Irish step dancing with upright posture. Two dancers danced with chairs. There were folk dance inspired sections and even a waltz or two. Tina danced with a pole balanced on her head.

All in all, while I very much like some of Tina Croll's work, this show was not for me. I just have a hard time getting into a show where the dancers are mostly expressionless. If you are a devotee of post-modern dance, though, I think you will find much to like in Ancient Springs.



Choreography: Tina Croll
Dancers: Tina Croll, Dana Doggett, Caitlin Grater, Marybeth Hurtt, Eli McAfee, Megan Sprenger
Chorus: Mona Afable, ShaLeigh Comerfield, Erin DeLuca-Benson, Michelle Durante, Caron Eule, Andrea Gise, Faye Lim, Alexandra Mount-Campbell, Carla Reitano, Alexandra Rose, Rossana Russo, Kanako Satuwatari, Helena Teply-Figman, Caitlin Trainor
Music: Various sound effects and artists including Andy Teirstein, Tiny Tim, Charming Hostess, Gétatchéw, Mèkurya, Adam Good, Zlatke, Lila Downs and Mariachi Juvenil de Tecalitian
Sound Design: Mark Dale
Costume Consultant: Eli McAfee
Lighting Design: Carol Mullins
Danspace Project Technical Director: Carlton Ward
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