Shiloh DeBauch/Painted Turtle Productions
'Blended' from Madison Contemporary Dance.
I arrived at the dance performance frazzled, due to the challenges of extricating myself from my near west side home at the exact moment that tens of thousands of football fans poured out of Camp Randall on Saturday afternoon after the Badgers game. But 90 minutes later, my friend and I departed Madison Youth Arts in buoyant moods after taking in Madison Contemporary Dance’s ‘The Voices Collaboration Project,’ a jubilant production that took place Sept. 14 and 15 that celebrated the creative intersection of street-style dancers and studio-trained dancers.
Artistic director and MCD founder Sara Rohs and company leaders welcomed the audience and encouraged us to let them know when we saw something we liked (leading to heartfelt whoops and cheers throughout) and assured us that we’d all get the chance to dance onstage after the performance. The entire company, including three young apprentices, then introduced themselves through movement, peeling off the rotating lineup circling the stage and performing quick little solos, setting the tone for what was to come.
The company has several standout dancers. Lilly Crochet is a versatile performer who clearly has excellent training, but it was her phrasing and musicality that delighted me most. Erin Alberts, who would be described as a scene-stealer in theater, devours the space around her with quiet confidence and reliable grace. And Haley Johnson is a no-nonsense mover who really understands the connective tissue of the “in-between” steps in dance, beyond just the showy tricks that punctuate a lot of dance today.
Ode to a Love Lost is a poignant duet choreographed by the dancers, Antione Williams and Sydney Blashe. They explore a relationship that is both tender and tumultuous. Blashe and Williams share a palpable chemistry, and I appreciate the obvious care Williams takes in his partnering work with Blashe.
DECODE, set to Paramore’s song of the same name, features guest dancers from the Three Point Project. Hair down and flung around, the dancers bring a daredevil bravado and commitment to Ashley Tomaszewski’s electric choreography.
Blended weaves hip-hop and modern dance and showcases what a special performer Papa-Kobina Brewoo is. All eyes are drawn to him every time he is on stage, but especially here with the seamless interplay among the four capable female company members. His abilities seem so innate as he slides and glides through the choreography. His well-deserved confidence in turn puts the audience at ease. But what really resonated with me is how he can imbue just a simple wave of the hand with meaning. Choreographer Sarah Barnard has good instincts for creating compelling and innovative moments. I just wish some of those moments hadn’t been so fleeting. I would encourage Barnard not to be afraid to linger on or repeat sequences so the audience can relish them.
Freestyle fuses the improvisational freestyling skills of four dancers who convey creative camaraderie and limitless joy for movement. Sonteé Duncan is all legs, lashes and stage presence (Duncan also shared her talent as a choreographer with her Rise of the Phoenix earlier in the program). Peyton Yang brings a jittery, quicksilver lightness to his movement and had the audience members holding their breath in anticipation of his next move. Williams was back, now oozing a carefree coolness and playful attitude. Brewoo was back too, a commanding force whose body seems to be able to move in new and uncanny ways. The quartet makes it look effortless, but I was moved by their talent and technique.
Societal Expectations from Miye Bishop explores the creative trajectory of company member Yang as he navigates cultural expectations as an Asian dancer. Bishop seems wise beyond her years with this compelling piece that deftly showcases Yang’s ample talents and emotional intensity while creating satisfying interactions with the six female dancers who at times carry, hoist and deliver Yang across the stage.
With 14 works on the program, it was a robust, varied, and satisfying 75 minutes of dance, plus intermission (all of which passed by at a quick clip). Also deserving praise were the dances United in Grief and Synergistic, as well as the company’s commitment to providing no-fee children’s classes at Kennedy Heights Community Center and community dance classes held in parks, libraries, and daycares.
I skedaddled right after the curtain call, so I didn’t take advantage of the invitation to dance, but I hope others weren’t shy like me and tapped into the infectious exuberance generated by MCD performers.
It would be rude of me not to call attention to the lovely performance space at MYArts. The entire building is inviting and well designed to be a fertile space for creativity, but the theater is particularly nice — just the right size for a performance like this.
