Commentary
RACE DANCE COMPANY
GAVE A ROUSING PERFORMANCE
OF COLLABORATIVE
WORK TRACE
Nancy Condit
This replaces the earlier accidentally published notes
Saturday night RACE Dance Company and the Men of RACE gave a very nice performance of the collaborative work TRACE: Three Stories Told in Three Styles. The evening very successfully gave the sense of community it set out to do. Artistic director and collaborative choreographer Hui Cha Poos noted that “Commercial dance isn’t just for commercials.”
In a wild hip hop dance, Man VS. Society told of the effects a group of three men had on bullying two men, while the music lyrics made it clear that violence and intimidation was not the way. The dancing was very good and well-choreographed with breaking, storytelling, and good lighting. Dress was traditional hip-hop street dancing. The women danced well.
The film in Man Vs. Self was particularly memorable in three striking images. A woman crawled out of a grave to confront coffins in a chapel. At this point, an audience member commented the music was almost demonic. Equally striking was the dancer’s sitting in an alley with a row of doors on each side. This setting may have come from Dead People’s Stuff on Linwood. The third image was the women appearing on the stage dressed in white shifts, and the men covered in black. The dancer confronted herself to the narrative voice saying, “The purpose is there, I know who you are.” The story was told in lyrical jazz with some contemporary dance.
The collaborative evening ended with the well done Man VS. Man, Going to the Chapel. The story of a wedding featured a very well received tap dance and all the characters of a wedding performing in 50's clothes. The third style of dance were popular dances.
The high energy performance was following by a high energy dancing after party that was open to all – for only $5.You should really see dancers dance, and dance along with them in the open dance.
An excellent evening.
RACE DANCE COMPANY
GAVE A ROUSING PERFORMANCE
OF COLLABORATIVE
WORK TRACE
Nancy Condit
This replaces the earlier accidentally published notes
Saturday night RACE Dance Company and the Men of RACE gave a very nice performance of the collaborative work TRACE: Three Stories Told in Three Styles. The evening very successfully gave the sense of community it set out to do. Artistic director and collaborative choreographer Hui Cha Poos noted that “Commercial dance isn’t just for commercials.”
In a wild hip hop dance, Man VS. Society told of the effects a group of three men had on bullying two men, while the music lyrics made it clear that violence and intimidation was not the way. The dancing was very good and well-choreographed with breaking, storytelling, and good lighting. Dress was traditional hip-hop street dancing. The women danced well.
The film in Man Vs. Self was particularly memorable in three striking images. A woman crawled out of a grave to confront coffins in a chapel. At this point, an audience member commented the music was almost demonic. Equally striking was the dancer’s sitting in an alley with a row of doors on each side. This setting may have come from Dead People’s Stuff on Linwood. The third image was the women appearing on the stage dressed in white shifts, and the men covered in black. The dancer confronted herself to the narrative voice saying, “The purpose is there, I know who you are.” The story was told in lyrical jazz with some contemporary dance.
The collaborative evening ended with the well done Man VS. Man, Going to the Chapel. The story of a wedding featured a very well received tap dance and all the characters of a wedding performing in 50's clothes. The third style of dance were popular dances.
The high energy performance was following by a high energy dancing after party that was open to all – for only $5.You should really see dancers dance, and dance along with them in the open dance.
An excellent evening.
