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Rita Kohn
Performance Reviews
Modern/Contemporary
Indiana Repertory Theatre
United States
Indiana
Indianapolis, IN

Dance Kaleidoscope - The Body Electric

by Rita Kohn
May 22, 2011
Indiana Repertory Theatre
140 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 635-5252
4 stars
May 19-22

This review was originally published in NUVO Newsweekly, Indianapolis, IN.

Rita Kohn is a member of the Board of the Dance Critics Association.
Electric Counterpoint, a world premiere "dedicated in loving memory of Larry Hurt" is emotionally charged movement working with the minimalist palette of Steven Reich's music. Hochoy opens with George Salinas and Zach Young emerging from a point of light and interacting in expansive slow motion on top of Reich's pushing, pulsing, minimalist patterns. The matching of pace picks up with Mariel Greenlee and Caitlin Swihart in fluid reaches, rolling with the phasing patterns and disappearing into them. Liberty Harris and Melanie Schreiber search for their pacing with each other and then within the trio of Brandon Comer, Kenoth Shane Patton and Zach Young, physicality layering onto the audible. Jillian Godwin against a brushed swath of white background goes at it alone until Timothy June's entrance re-engages partnering for the apotheosis and merging of movement into the music. In three parts, Electric Counterpoint is simultaneously a process of grieving and a celebration of life. Larry Hurt—teacher/artist, lover of travel and home, music and dance, meditative and expansive would have been delighted.

We last experienced a dance set on Reich's music when Melli Hoppe created a moving narrative of The Nazi Holocaust on Different Trains.

The program opened with "In the Moog," a delightfully childlike impression of having fun with music by J.S. Bach performed by Wendy Carlos on the Moog Synthesizer. It was fun to watch in 2008 and even more so now, recalling the goofy body language to the feel of music, being humanly animalistic and "insectingly" human. The company of eleven zipped through a spectrum of emotions and dance styles for a rush to the finish.

"Skin Walkers" (1999) closed the program. Music by T. H. Gillespie and L.E. McCullough was performed live by jazz violinist Cathy Morris and keyboardist Gillespie. The company in constantly changing combinations and formations took us into the dualities life on the edge.

Throughout, costumes and lighting intimately partnered with the choreography.
Brandon Comer, Mariel Greenlee and company in DK's In the Moog

Brandon Comer, Mariel Greenlee and company in DK's In the Moog

Photo © & courtesy of Crowe's Eye Photography


Liberty Harris, Brandon Comer, Tim June in DK's Skin Walkers

Liberty Harris, Brandon Comer, Tim June in DK's Skin Walkers

Photo © & courtesy of Crowe's Eye Photography


Melanie Scheiber and Caitlin Swihart in DK's In the Moog

Melanie Scheiber and Caitlin Swihart in DK's In the Moog

Photo © & courtesy of Crowe's Eye Photography


Mariel Greenlee and Caitlin Swihart in DK's Electric Counterpoint

Mariel Greenlee and Caitlin Swihart in DK's Electric Counterpoint

Photo © & courtesy of Crowe's Eye Photography


Liberty Harris, Melanie Schreiber, Brandon Comer, Zach Young and Kenoth Shane Patton in DK's Electric Counterpoint

Liberty Harris, Melanie Schreiber, Brandon Comer, Zach Young and Kenoth Shane Patton in DK's Electric Counterpoint

Photo © & courtesy of Crowe's Eye Photography

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