company review 2006

Contemporary Jazz is Alive and Well:

The Houston Metropolitan Dance Company

Rocks the House

April 29, 2006
Wortham Center, Cullen Theater
by Nancy Wozny

Attention, Houston, for those of you that thought contemporary jazz was in danger of dropping off the dance map-think again. The Houston Metropolitan Dance Company showed up at the Cullen wearing their Sunday best, and proved, without a doubt, that the contemporary jazz idiom is alive, well, and thriving. Each piece on the program had something to offer in way of choreographic invention, some more than others, but all-in-all, it was a rich program, with diverse offerings that each showed off this company’s mighty talents. And the dancing-simply spectacular, from start to finish. What a joy it is to sit through an evening of well-rehearsed dances, challenging choreography, and top-notch dancing. The evening took flight with Pattie Obey’s Zoom, a hyper-kinetic full-steam-ahead jazzy piece set to the driving sounds from Big Noise from Winnetica, Bob Haggaut, Ray Bauduc, and Kyle Eastwood. Zoom involved a vibrant game of stage tag as the soloist chased the ensemble off the stage and set off a dynamic tension between the one and the many. As for as the “one,” soloist Kiki Lucas demanded attention. Lucas took such command of the empty stage that you don’t dare look elsewhere. Her over-the-top charm radiated throughout. Right now, people are snapping their fingers in Dallas and wondering why. (Lucas actually lit up every dance she was in throughout the evening.) Obey’s intricate movement for the super-tight ensemble was at its best when the dancers gave full commitment to the tumbling momentum the piece required. Some truly exciting unison popped out of full-force running patterns. My only quibble, why are these gutsy women wearing powder blue dresses? The choice seemed way too demure for the turbo-charged vibe of the dance.

I’ve always wondered what happened to the tough girls on my middle school bus. I found them in Peter Chu’s Points in Space for 7. It’s the kind of dance that grows on you; the longer the dance went on the more intrigued I became. The arresting opening solo, passionately performed by Lindsay Lab, reminded me of what happens when a teenager finally decides to talk; it comes out all at once, in no particular order, with a dire sense of urgency. Much about this work, from the track jackets over flimsy see-through skirts to the moody thug-girl demeanor, conjured misunderstood youth. Chu’s work was dark, and much of it literally took place upstage and under Kris Phelps low-light levels. The darkness annoyed and intrigued. Perhaps the intentional darkness served as a statement and a question: how are we leaving our young women in the dark? The dancers charged downstage into the glaring white light with a confrontational attitude. It’s good to see the Met tackling more difficult pieces, and Chu’s piece challenged both the mind and the retina. The smooth ensemble work evoked just the right amount of adolescent angst.

Former Met Company member, Joe Celej, returned to dance and present two works. What Lola Wants combined fun, games, apples, and bananas -in that order- in a saucy romp to the tango-vibe sounds of Damn Yankees. Celej second work, What More, a duet for himself and Marlana Walsh-Doyle, wins “the most sensual dance of the season” award. OK, OK, I made that award up, just now, because this dance deserves such an award. Walsh and Celej dance as if they understand every curve of each other’s form. Sinuous, interwoven limbs created sculptural visuals, yet never drifted into Pilobolus-style “how cool is this?” land. Celej’s mastery of the pause provided a welcome rest to an otherwise relentless quality of many of the other works. One moment stood out. Celej bent backwards -as if dangling off a cliff- while Walsh attached to his thigh bone. After you wonder how on earth this was physically possible, their kinetic question became visible. “Why do we hold on tightest when things are at their most unstable?” Daring partnering punctuated Celej’s duet. The entire dance never left the ground as it toyed with support, safety, and the undeniable give and take of a love relationship. The final moments revealed the ambiguous world of surrender vs. control. The message came through clearly: trust is a thing in motion. It’s a dance of such rare intimacy that I just wanted to press the rewind button and watch it again.

Kevin Wynn’s densely layered Expulsion from Paradise made full use of intricate tableaus which framed the action in compelling frozen moments and complex choreographic layering. Jocelyn Thomas’s powerful opening solo set the scene for an intriguing dance. Also on the program was Lucas’s Shouldacouldawoulda, an intelligent, but unfinished, work. A clunky prop (a pass-through mirror, I think) didn’t quite work, while the movement choices sustained interest and the dancing was terrific. Regardless of the work’s rough spots, she’s on to something, even if that something remained obscure for now. Tequila Shots for a Fool is Charlotte Griffin’s ode to drinking too much in a pretty blue party dress. If that drunken girl happens to be Walsh, then it’s worth watching. The whole dance played out like a grand hiccup, and Walsh milks it for every burp. Normally she’s such a spot-on precision master, so it’s fun to watch her cut loose in Griffin’s silly antics. Crisscrossed taut red ribbons framed Eddy Ocampo’s dark and relentless Hysterical Silence. Ribbons tumbled to the ground to mark the end of Ocampo’s tense dance-and a rousing show by the Houston Met.

Did I mention those wonderful-in-every piece dancers? I did? Here they are again. Company members included Dustin Crumbaugh, Linzy Lab, Kiki Lucas, and Marlana Walsh-Doyle. Former company member, Joe Celej, joined the troupe for this performance. Apprentices included Christopher Cardenas, Sara Chase, Tyler Davis, Lauren Garson, Dana Lester, Ashley Reichstein, Jocelyn Thomas, and Elizabeth Ray. Interns included Betiana Falcao, Donathan Flucas, Tim Johnson, and Karen Pfeifer.

Review commissioned by Dance Source Houston. For more dance reviews and Information, visit www.dancehunter.blogspot.com or www.houchron.com