March 24 through today!

I've been really behind with posting links to the San Francisco Appeal. Eek and sorry! But if you want to read everything in real time, the best way to do that is to add the Appeal's RSS feed (or just mine, if you'd like) to your reader (or whatever you use to manage blogs, rss, etc.).

On March 24, I wrote about dance anywhere, an annual event where "people [dance] wherever they are at the same time: noon here in San Francisco, 3PM in New York, 8PM in Paris, etc."

On March 31, I spoke with Aline Wachsmuth, a dance/collaborate with LEVYdance who says that "[b]eing a dancer in this particular company has given me room for growth as a mover, a choreographer, a dance viewer, and a person. I'm really grateful to have such an amazing collaborative relationship with Ben [Levy]."

And on April 7, I previewed Stephen Pelton Dance Theater's The Dance Hour. Pelton said that, "I chose the framing device of a radio hour, as a way of prompting the audience to expect varying points of view. So it is a very eclectic program. But as many of the performers have been working together for some time, it feels as if the ensemble really shines as a whole."

Today, I reviewed SF Ballet's Program 7. About Jerome Robbins' The Concert, I wrote, "The 21 dancers, clad in powder blue leotards, tights, and shoes, funnel in to see a concert, and from there we zoom off with them into music-inspired daydreams."

SF Ballet's The Little Mermaid 2010

I reviewed SF Ballet's The Little Mermaid at the SF Appeal.

Excerpt:
Van Patten moved naturally through Neumeier's organic and earthy choreography, displaying her heart on her sleeve as she wrestled with confinement and social expectations. By the end, she looked emotionally wrecked (which here is a good thing), and the audience gratefully acknowledged that with several standing ovations.

The entire review is here.

dance flash @ the appeal: Q&A with chitresh das

This week, I Q&A-ed Chitresh Das at the SF Appeal:

How did you two [you and Jason Samuels Smith] meet and what prompted this collaboration?

We met several years ago while practicing backstage at the American Dance Festival at Duke University. I started to dance and Jason said. "How can you do that with your bare feet?"

dance flash and review @ the appeal: hope mohr and sf ballet

Two things from last week at the SF Appeal:

A Q&A with Hope Mohr:

"I made many detours away from the path of dancing, but I finally heard--and listened to--the voice inside that was still saying, "Dance!" I had to return to dance to be true to myself."

And a review of SF Ballet's Program 4 (which was held until this AM b/c of a backlog):

"It's almost like a battle: think Eminem in pointe shoes (oh gee, what an image), battling with his body instead of his mouth."

dance flash @ the appeal: sf ballet 2010, program 3

Here's a quick little excerpt from my review over at the SF Appeal of San Francisco Ballet's Program 3:

Last on the bill was Theme and Variations, a tutu ballet that, for all except the main duo, focuses way too much on aquamarine and periwinkle (it's like My Little Ponies exploded onstage). With teal drapings and chandeleirs hanging from above, Theme and Variations is lighter than most Balanchine works, embodied with a pureness of soul that swoops across the stage as the corps begins their procession. But this ballet isn't for pussies; feet move with warp-10-like speed, bodies fly through the air, and astounding abs are required.

Yuan Yuan Tan and Anthony Spaulding in Balanchine's Stravinsky Violin Concerto.
© Erik Tomasson

dance flash @ the appeal: sf ballet 2010, program 2

Maria Kochetkova in Robbins' Opus 19/The Dreamer. © Erik Tomasson

Here's an excerpt from my review of SF Ballet's program 2.

Maria Kochetkova, a tiny angel of a dancer, entered with giant windmilling arms and scissor-kicking skips, and as the piece progressed, she continued to pull Karapetyan on a string through his deep and whimsical trance as Franklin D'Antonio's violin finely soared above the orchestra.

See the full review at the SF Appeal here.

dance flash and other stuff @ the appeal: 2/2010!!!

yours truly is truly busy this week. i reviewed "beyond the pole," a mockumentary about two british dudes taking their environmental crusade to the north pole yesterday. it has nothing to do with dance; wait, scratch that. there are two scenes at a salsa dancing class! today i previewed "love everywhere," a multi-location dance and theater piece that kicks off at city hall on friday at noon. still to come: two, albeit brief, reviews of sf ballet!

beyond the pole excerpt:

The film opens up with one of the funniest parts: Mark and Brian explaining the why behind hiking, training, and ferrying (no planes here!) to the North Pole. They banter back and forth and finally show off what's under their shirts: more shirts. The tees say, "Don't be impotent. Be important." Ah, boys.

full review is here.

love everywhere excerpt:

Chong Shuch says, "I feel like [Love Everywhere] is just a really special thing. You know, this is the six-year anniversary of when they started issuing the same sex marriage licenses, so this piece is... really joyful and very much a celebration of those marriages, like a Valentine's Day celebration of love in this huge public space where so many people have been married. For Friday, I think it's going to be really fun..., and I hope that the performance will bring to the forefront this whole marriage equality issue without being political about it. I hope we can put some pictures and images out there in the world that bring life to that issue. "

full preview is here.

in addition, i got a chance to see sean dorsey's work at dance mission this week, and i was really blown away. so much so that i wrote to my undergrad's dance, gender studies, and glbt? heads and insisted they host him in some shape, form, or manner.

dance flash @ the appeal: sean dorsey dance

This week at the SF Appeal, I spoke with Sean Dorsey, who is recognized as the nation's first out transgender modern dance choreographer.

Excerpt:

My whole identity was very much wrapped up in being a traditional activist and community organizer, and I really struggled for many years with the idea of giving myself over to being a working artist. It felt like it would be selfish, but it was through the process of being in dance school and starting to make work that I got that actually this was the way that I could, I think, affect the most change in my community: through my cultural activism as a choreographer and artistic director.

For the full interview, go here.

Photo by Lydia Daniller

dance flash @ the appeal: 2010 swan lake

This week, I reviewed SF Ballet's Swan Lake for the SF Appeal.

The prologue, opening to the recognizable woodwinds of Tchaikovsky's score, gives us a taste of what's to come, introducing us to the lovely princess Odette as she's entrapped by Anthony Spaulding's Hulk-crossed-with-Golem (at least in character. In my head, I heard him grrring and grunting as he whispered sadly, "My precious!") Von Rothbart. Is that his full name? Do his friends call him Von? I haven't a clue. But no matter his moniker, he magics Odette into a swan by day and a swan princess by night, and the audience sees this transformation through a projection against a light-colored scrim...

The full article is here.

Photo © Erik Tomasson

dance flash @ the appeal: sf ethnic dance festival auditions!

go check out awesome ethnic dance this weekend! bonus points if you try to conduct exit interviews...

This Saturday and Sunday mark the second weekend of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival auditions at the Palace of Fine Arts. Think of it like a local, multicultural version of "So You Think You Can Dance" auditions, minus the hot tamale train.

the full article is at the san francisco appeal.

dance flash @ the appeal: KUNST-STOFF's new space and NYE bash

This week at the sf appeal, I've highlighted KUNST-STOFF's new arts space, which kicks off with a NYE open house.

The location may be "amazing," but this is one local who thinks that Adoniou has his work cut out for him. Located just east of the basement-located, florescent light-filled Marshall's, this mid-Market span has gotten loads of attention over a planned revitalization, but currently foot traffic tends to fall off once you hit 5th. Should the area flourish, Adoniou could have a major success on his hands.

For the full article, go here.

dance flash @ the appeal: Rhythm & Motion -- Legwarmers not required

This past week I took a class at Rhythm & Motion to get a feel for their unique "dance workout" class, in advance of their free day of dance classes next Wednesday.

Fusing dance styles and eclectic music? A dance workout? This is gibberish, sort of like if someone said that Mayor Newsom had turned in his hair gel for pomade. Make sense, dammit! Well, to find out, I did what any hardworking dance writer does. I went and took a class.

For the entire article at the SF Appeal, go here.

dance flash @ the appeal: 2009 holiday dance schtuff, part deux

here's an excerpt from this week's dance flash at the sf appeal:

...lastly, this is early, but hey, it's like a wasabi nut blend: a crazy idea that after a few bites, doesn't seem so odd after all. The Dance-Along Nutcracker is back for two days, letting everyone who's young at heart twirl and flutter about to Tchaikovsky's familiar score. This nut is presented by The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band. Founded by Jon Sims in the late 70s, the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band is the first openly gay music organization ever. But if you haven't gotten the picture yet, let me spell it out for you. This is no sit-in-a-seat-and-watch-two-hours-of-dance event. You're encouraged to dress up (this year's theme is the wild west--yeehaw!), dance about, and above all, have fun! Now throw on some chaps (and at least a matching thong, please), suit up the horse and buggy (er, Muni), and dance along, partner.

for more, go here.

Photo Credit: Jane Philomen-Cleland

dance flash @ the appeal: 2009 holiday dance schtuff, take one

here's an excerpt from holiday dance schtuff, take one at the sf appeal.

"The day after Thanksgiving, you can stand in the 'I'm totally crazy, full, and sleepy' line at Best Buy at 4AM or hot-foot it to the 9AM cardio kickmyass class. Neither, though, may be as enjoyable as taking in ODC/Dance's 23rd season of 'The Velveteen Rabbit,' with its plush animal costumes and contemporary dance. If you're still feeling the after-effects of rum punch and soy nog, don't worry. 'The Velveteen Rabbit is narrated."

the full article is here.

dance flash @ the appeal: the sf hip hop dancefest

(this photo is not doctored! that's the south korean crew last for one posing with secretary of state hillary clinton.)

This week's Dance Flash: the San Francisco Hip Hop DanceFest.

An excerpt:

Does an audience need to know their popping from their locking? Definitely not. These shows are meant to expose people to lots of different types of hip hop dance in a friendly environment. About the audience, Rosales says these are "not your everyday dance hip hop watchers... I love doing the show for our company because it's our time to expose ourselves to a new audience and a new demographic, and I think it's great... because it's our chance to really hit the spotlight for a second, you know, and get recognized for something that we've been doing for so long."

And Micaya says, "[Hip hop] is definitely mainstream now. I had a lot of battles, so to speak, when I first started the festival just by using the word hip hop. When I first started, you can imagine, 11 years ago, the first thing that came to people's minds was, "Are there going to be guns?" and negativity, and I was just like, 'Oh my god! You've got to be kidding me! Just come once, and, for the rest of your life, your mind will be altered about what this image of, back in the day, that word used to put in people's minds,' because it's so far from the truth of what artists are doing in the genre."

For the entire preview, go here.

dance flash @ the appeal: an interview with dv8's lloyd newson

I interviewed Lloyd Newson, the artistic director of DV8 Physical Theatre, for the San Francisco Appeal. Here's an excerpt.


What does physical theater mean? Could you give me a little more information about how it's different from other forms?

We call it physical theater instead of dance theater because it's often driven by meaning as opposed to theater or dance. And because it's highly physical as much more than just talking heads, hence physical theater seemed appropriate.

[That was a short response. Maybe I won't push on that. I mean, we went round and round and round and finally the guy agreed to call me from England, the home of Posh Spice and Harrods. But is dance not driven by meaning?]

I was reading on your website that you're moving towards more text-based work as opposed to movement-based. Is there any specific reason for that?

Well, if you try just saying in dance, "This is my sister, " it's going to take you a long time.

Hmm...[Really. I said that aloud.]

For the complete interview, go here.

"To Be Straight With You": Image of Ankur Bahl. Photo by Matt Nettheim

dance flash @ the appeal: not-so-spooky dance

this week at the appeal, i focused on some smaller offerings.

"The word zambaleta means "a spontaneous chaotic street party'" and happens when everyone is actively participating, whether by playing music, singing, or dancing. San Francisco's new community world music and dance school embodies that spirit in both mission and name. Based at 19th Street and Florida in the Mission, Zambaleta, a non-profit, has just opened its doors. Offering a comprehensive program of world music and dance classes, Zambaleta aims to provide a new home for San Francisco's vibrant world music community.

To celebrate the launch of this new space, Zambaleta will be hosting some of the Bay Area's best world music acts, including the Brass Menazeri and the Japonize Elephants, this Saturday night with a giant Halloween Hullabaloo Benefit in Zambaleta's staggeringly massive dance hall. It'll be an exciting night complete with aerial dancers and clowns."

see the entire article here.

dance flash @ the appeal: an interview with alonzo king

this week for the appeal, i interviewed alonzo king.

"I was wondering what kind of traits you look for when you hire dancers or look for dancers?

Well, I think that's really apt what you're saying because if you look at this physical universe, everything is based on the sphere, everything. Nucleus, radius, electrons, protons, the planets, the galaxies, they're all spherical, and so that same thing is inherent in the body, and you manipulate it by going from circle to straight line. And all those things you illustrated are part of developing movement structure.

In terms of looking for dancers, what I mentioned earlier is that the character is the bottom line because what you're looking at onstage is who people are. People dance their consciousness, and so who's brave, who's generous, who's loving, who's consciences, who's risk-taking. All the things we like in heroic people are the things I look for in a dancer because these are human beings, after all. So we're looking for the noblest kind of character.

You know it's inextricable that who people are is what you're watching move, and so if they're givers, if they're brilliant, it's going to be obvious. And the opposite as well. If they are selfish, if they're vain, if they're scared--all of that is apparent. I like people who are heroic, who have the ability to get lost in movement and not be self-conscious. Humility is a beautiful thing to see in dancing. Sincerity is something very rare to see, but beautiful when you see it in dancing. And we take it for granted that they've got a technique that is second nature. Yeah, so who people are."

you can find the entire interview here.

Photo by RJ Muna

dance flash @ the appeal: burning dance questions 101

this week's dance flash is up at the appeal, and it's the beginning of a bi-monthly Q&A.

"Q: What's a tutu? And I wear an XXL, so where can I buy a fourfour?

A: Female ballet dancers may wear a tutu, aka a poofy skirt, in ballet performances. There are many different styles and lengths of tutus, but the one that you're probably thinking of is the really, and almost indecently, short one that's designed to show off a female dancer's intricate foot and leg work. Professional tutus (of all sizes) are custom-made, but cheaper ones can be purchased at dancewear stores."

for more, go here.

dance flash @ the appeal: smuin ballet's fall/winter season 2009

this week's dance flash: smuin ballet's fall/winter season, which kicks off this weekend at the palace of fine arts.

"...Smuin's 'Medea,' follows a storyline that trumps even the juiciest of the original 'Melrose Place': there's love, lust, adultery, jealousy, rage, and mass murder. On Sunday, Susan Roemer's drama-queen Medea conveyed strength and a bald-Britney-wielding-a-baseball-bat-like craziness. True, I was saddened when she killed the Princess just steps from my feet, but minutes later, I was secretly rooting for her as Aaron Thayer's Jason met his demise. That debbie downer didn't last long, though, as the dancers took a short break and soon had me tapping my toes as they tossed their hats, twirled and waltzed across the floor, and strutted along to some of Frank Sinatra's best in Smuin's 'Fly Me to the Moon...'"

For the complete preview, go here.

Photo: Scot Goodman