Dance Reviews

Jul 22, 2003 - Baryshnikov brings his dance magic to Reno's Artown 2003 Summer Festival

By Jack Neal

The legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov made his Reno debut Monday evening (7/21/2003) before a full house at the beautiful Eldorado Hotel-Casino Showroom. The event is one of the major cornerstones of Reno's Artown 2003 Summer Festival.

Since the Baryshnikov program was announced last spring, "Solos With Piano or not... An Evening of Music and Dance" with Mikhail Baryshnikov and pianist Koji Attwood has been one of Reno's most eagerly awaited events. As well suited to intimate events as the Eldorado's showroom is (it seats 566), it's unfortunate more people could not have experienced this icon of dance in his two-day, two-performance run here. The pricey-ness of tickets ($75-$125) also made attending out of reach for most people.

At 55, Baryshnikov's magnetism as one of the world's supreme dance artists has diminished not at all. Age, in fact, is a partner in this solo dance recital. The concert was designed, not as a cover for lost technique, but as an expression for a maturing artist with even more to say as time passes, and this is the way to continue to say it through dance.

That not everything in this beautifully packaged recital was equally fascinating was one of the concert's disappointments. In its own way, each dance must grab attention and hold it. That did not always happen. That this elegant and gorgeously masculine dancer brings presence and charm to all he does, is nice, but is it enough? Not for a consistently thrilling encounter with a legend, other than to say, "I'm glad I saw him."

If not every moment was breathtaking, some were.

Lucinda Childs choreographed her "Opus One" to Alban Berg's Piano Sonata, Op. 1. Dressed only in a red swimsuit (designed by Deanna Berg), Baryshnikov looked tentative doing diagonals until a giant petal of some sort, perhaps a rose petal, descended bringing the possibility of comfort to his distress. Baryshnikov embraced it, seemed refreshed by both the petal and Berg's music, then returned to his diagonals renewed and contented. It's a wonderful piece filled with elegance of form and thrill of motion.

In Michael Clark's "Rattle Your Jewelry" post-modern choreography became amusing irony as Baryshnikov, with a wry smile, turned, and turned, and turned to the Beatles' "Back in the U.S.S.R." As a prelude to this dance, Nina Simone's aching "Everyone's Gone to the Moon" was a droll setup for the impish suggestion parlayed by what the Beatles' song and Baryshinkov's movements had to say. Here was Misha, if you will, the restless explorer finding his place with new company, while commenting dryly on what is past.

Both Tere O'Connor's clever and funny "Indoor Man," choreographed to the piano works of David Jaggard and Conlon Nancarrow, and Ruth Davidson Hahn's "Upon a Whim," set to Robert Schumann's Fantasy Pieces, Op. 12, played off Baryshnikov's Chaplinesque qualities. The dancer projects volumes through the simplest of mime with a center of gravity for such things of mime and dance that must be the envy of the universe.

Saving the most charming and poignant piece until last, Eliot Feld's "Mr. XYZ," Baryshnikov - dressed in baggy pants, tinted glasses and porkpie hat - leaned on a cane and danced an old soft shoe while Leon Redbone sang "Without my walking stick, I'd go insane." Memories of the Baryshinkov fans have loved for decades, whether in classical ballet, modern dance, or in films, were brought back in a rush of images from other dances Baryshnikov has made his own. It was that moment, especially, that made Baryshnikov worth seeing in a program of dance that so magically reflected on this formidable star as he once was, while etching fond new memories of this still formidable star as he now is.

Koji Attwood, Baryshnikov's partner in this event, is a pianist of rare gifts, both as a solo artist and as a collaborator. Playing solo pieces of Scriaban, Scarlatti, Liszt and Soler, this young pianist was much more than fill. He is a concert pianist with an impeccable technique, a rich tone and an assured sense of good interpretive taste.

All of the dances in "Solos with Piano or not... An Evening of Music and Dance" were created especially for Mr. Baryshnikov in 2003 for this tour. All lighting designs for "Solos with Piano or Not..." are by Stan Pressner, with the exception of "Mr. XYZ." "Mr. XYZ" lighting is by Allen Lee Hughes. The lighting for this presentation and all other production values are, without exception, splendidly conceived and managed.

"Solos with Piano or not... An Evening of Music and Dance" plays one more performance in Reno tonight, Tuesday, July 22, 2003. It's sold out.