Dance Reviews

Jul 24, 2002 - An Artown Very Special Event with Area-51 Dance Theatre

By Jack Neal

What a pleasure it was Tuesday (7/23/2002) evening to watch a young person's dance company, Reno's Area-51 Dance Theatre, bring so much good well, enthusiasm and talent to a breezy and fresh program of modern dance.

Headed by Elizabeth Weigel, 28, an exciting dance entrepeneur and top-flight choreographer, Area-51 is impressive for its vitality, its nearly always well drawn dance invention, the excellent execution by its dancers of what they've been given to do, and the company's warmth of performance that washes so naturally across the footlights to thrill dance fans.

Before one gets too far into an Area-51 program, it's clear that among Elizabeth Weigel's many talents is her ability to energize gifted young people, including lots of young males wearing low, off-the-hip trousers who did much of the show's tech work, that makes her work so special. Tuesday's program, called "Dimension-51," included eight dance presentations created by six choreographers, danced by 14 dancers, with sound mixing by Dave Weigel, video designs by David Aaron, and a spectacular controlled-burn finale (fire batons, etc.) enhanced by seven guest fire artists. It's my guess that Ms. Weigel is the most ancient member of this very interesting and gifted troupe. Their collective achievement was a terrific program, enjoyed by over 1000 onlookers in Wingfield Park.

Choreographer Mirva Makinen's "Of the Earth" opened the program. In such a mix of dance styles and with such new-to the-business creators, in the flash of writing it's a bit dishonest to hone in on what is at the heart of each choreographer's invention. What Maiken has to say in her "Of the Earth" wasn't flatly evident at first viewing, or as important as its immediate visual and audio impact. "Of the Earth" can be enjoyed as pure dance, without the crutch of program. And so it was danced cleanly, with heart and without crutch by Natalie Berger, Bronwen Healy, Jennifer Perfilio, Julie Sheetz and Elizabeth Weigel to music by, among others, Nitinsawhney's "Walk Away," "Of the Earth" is filled with spiritually evocative, skyward-reaching movement. It was also a harbinger of the kind of reflective pieces that followed.

Kaile Larson's "The Freedom of Inching Forward," set to excerpts from two Vivaldi concerti, utilizes classic dance idioms and the beautifully controlled techniques of several previously mentioned dancers plus the elegant Jennifer Bishop. Elizabeth Weigel's "Ve'en vetama - pulled by waters," is a rhapsody of rapturous arm movements and musically responsive legs ("Don't show me your soul," Balanchine liked to say, "show me your feet!") giving an arresting visual dimension to the sounds of Hedningarna's "Raven." (From "Ve'en vetama" add Megan Rich to the company's list of fine dancers).

Danced in gorgeous white floor-length gowns to Da Lata's soaring "Cores," Keinya Kohlbecker's "Shasa" is ethnically exotic and was hauntingly danced, in addition to Kohlbecker herself, by Amanda Collins, Brandy Collins, Rhonda Hernandez, and Kristin Krajewski.

Two pieces, Cathy Allen's "Don't Talk So Much" and Natalie Berger's "Don't," are standouts as wonderful dance experiences. The fun, gossip and the poignancy of three girls growing up as close friends in "Don't Talk So Much" was "Dimension-51's" most revelatory piece. Handsomely danced and acted by Brandy Collins, Natalie Berger and Elizabeth Wiegel, "Don't Talk So Much" had the soul only soul mates and fine artists bring to dance, when their work is so wonderously choreographed. "Don't," sung by Elvis, is a summer-of-'42 kind of encounter between three adolescents - two girls (Natalie Berger, Katie Berger) and a guy (AJ Hamman). "Don't" is puppyish, entirely charming and cool in every way.

Natalie Berger's "Sisters," danced athletically and well by Amanda and Brandy Collins, was Dimension-51's only choreographic puzzler. What the piece's first-half, track-meet movement had to do with Puccini's exquisitely lovely "O mio babbino caro" escapes me. That Berger's dance patterns fit the impulses of "Cancion de Cuna" (Sister's" second half music) more adroitly made something salvageably entertaining out of a piece that appeared headed nowhere.

Excerpts from Elizabeth Weigel's large-scaled "Project X" - dance, video, whirling fire, gymnastics, sensuality, et al - was as sensational as it was a sensational way to close.

A complete "Project X" can be seen by those 21 and older July 26 and 28 (2002) at 8 p.m. at Reno's Metropolis Nightclub Complex. For information call 775-329-1950. For information about "Project X" and other Area-51 Dance Theatre events call 775-322-1343.