Gibney Dance, a vibrant hub for dance and performance in New York City, consistently showcases groundbreaking and thought-provoking works. Their “Work Up Series” is particularly known for providing a platform for emerging and established choreographers to present their latest creations. The final installment of Work Up Series 2.4 at Gibney Dance’s Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center proved to be a dynamic and memorable event, featuring a diverse range of choreographic styles and artistic visions. This review delves into the captivating performances by Gabrielle Revlock, Elisabeth Motley/Motley Dance, and Johnnie Cruise Mercer/TheREDproject, offering an in-depth look at their contributions to this exciting series at Gibney Dance.
Gabrielle Revlock initiated the evening with her solo piece, I replaced him with a lamp, a work that masterfully explored the nuances of human interaction and emotion through minimalist movement and expressive facial gestures. In a refreshing turn, Revlock embraced comedic elements, adding to the growing trend of humor in contemporary dance and expanding the vocabulary of how levity can be communicated through performance. With a simple set – a stool and a lamp – Revlock stripped away theatrical artifice, focusing solely on her body language and subtle shifts in expression to convey a range of complex feelings as she engaged in a silent dialogue with the inanimate object.
The beauty of I replaced him with a lamp lay in its understated nature. Revlock’s performance was a study in subtle transformations. Her face, a canvas of emotion, moved from apparent agreement to detached indifference. Nervous anticipation was conveyed through fleeting gestures – picking at fingernails, adjusting hair, and smoothing her shirt. These minute actions gradually evolved into more fluid and deliberate movements as the piece progressed, revealing a hidden performative quality within the seemingly mundane. While the piece demanded focused attention and at times tested the audience’s patience, much like enduring a conversation with a self-absorbed individual, Revlock’s commentary on conversational dynamics, particularly within gender politics, resonated. However, the comedic brilliance of the solo occasionally waned due to its extended duration.
Following Revlock, Elisabeth Motley and Motley Dance took the stage with flinch, a piece characterized by its aesthetically pleasing structure yet somewhat elusive conceptual development. The dance was divided into four distinct sections, each possessing its own unique energy and movement vocabulary. Despite the visual appeal of these segments, the transitions between them felt abrupt and lacked a cohesive narrative thread. Dramatic shifts, such as moving from sharp, synchronized movements to moments of quiet repose on the floor, occurred without sufficient contextual grounding, leaving the audience to question the intended journey and its underlying meaning within the framework of Gibney Dance’s Work Up Series.
A recurring motif throughout flinch was shaking, yet its execution felt somewhat detached from genuine emotional expression. The tremors and twitches, while visually present, appeared consciously applied rather than originating from an internal impulse within the dancers’ bodies. This sense of external application extended to the work as a whole. flinch presented itself as an earnest and visually engaging piece, but ultimately lacked the crucial emotional depth necessary to fully captivate and resonate with the audience seeking a deeper connection within the performance at Gibney Dance.
The final performance of the evening, [of color], by choreographer Johnnie ‘Cruise’ Mercer and performed by dancers Erica Saucedo and Shamar Watt, was an explosion of raw energy and impassioned movement. The title itself, [of color], immediately brings to the forefront discussions of identity and categorization. It is a term frequently used to identify individuals who are not white, a descriptor that simultaneously empowers through self-identification and marginalizes by inherently defining individuals in relation to a perceived “other.” This complex duality provided a potent framework for Mercer’s exploration of identity within the context of dance at Gibney Dance.
Mercer’s choreographic sophistication was evident in [of color]. The piece demonstrated a masterful command of shifting moods and dynamics while maintaining a consistent thread of movement motifs and thematic development. Moments of trembling physicality conveyed a sense of burden or fragility, transitioning seamlessly into formations of boxes and lines that represented separation and isolation. These structured moments then dissolved into unified movements under a shared spotlight, symbolizing collective experience and shared vulnerability.
The movement vocabulary in [of color] was particularly striking, drawing from a rich tapestry of dance traditions. Echoes of classical ballet arm movements, foundational capoeira steps, and the contained power of krumping were woven together to create a movement language that felt both familiar and entirely unique. Rarely does the intellectual foundation of a choreographic work manifest so clearly beyond program notes. Through meticulous development and thoughtful construction, Mercer’s [of color] at Gibney Dance eloquently demonstrated dance’s profound capacity to explore complex themes of identity, struggle, and resilience, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
The Work Up Series 2.4 at Gibney Dance concluded with a powerful reminder of the diverse and innovative landscape of contemporary dance. Each choreographer brought a distinct voice and perspective to the stage, contributing to the ongoing dialogue and evolution of movement-based art. Gibney Dance continues to be an essential platform for these vital artistic explorations.
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