Mass Motion Dance, Brighton, MA.
July 13, 2024 (considered digitally).
Sometimes dance succeeds on an aesthetic/kinesthetic degree – providing one thing that’s pleasing to expertise. Sometimes it accomplishes one thing extra cerebral, upsetting thought and difficult preconceptions. The dance that will get me on my toes after the final bow, and stays with me lengthy after I go away the venue, makes an impression in each domains.
That was Nozama Dance Collective’s N2 2024. The firm has at all times been daring, intentional and technically succesful. This program demonstrated the corporate’s increasing capacity to each fulfill aesthetic senses and tickle curious minds. In addition to the under, additionally they carried out an excerpt of Artistic Director Dana Alsamsam’s evocative, imagistic Untold, Retold.
Olivia Moriarty’s tenacious and considerate Un(I)type efficiently set the tone for this system. As Billie Eilish’s rating challenged cultural opinions of how ladies present up on this planet, the dancers started transferring from a crisp formation: angular, resolute. They demonstrated stellar musicality by way of numerous timing constructions. Just as a lot, they exuded daring physicality.
As the rating shifted to the speaker taking extra “I” statements, claiming greater than questioning, the ensemble danced out from the formation and moved in their very own tenacious methods. Quite fittingly, the work concluded with one dancing independently – shortly, passionately, frenetically – whereas the bigger ensemble moved in unison, way more slowly and in a extra managed method. Who’s to say that what she supplied was value any lower than what they collectively did?
Actualization, by Katie Logan in collaboration with the dancers, was equal elements softly reflective and kinetically fierce. The title did definitely have me pondering of the thought of “self-actualization,” and the piece appeared to embody that concept. The dancers opened the work by coming straight ahead from a horizontal line, every transferring with honesty. Through sharing weight, they discovered assist in each other. Yet additionally, significantly towards the latter a part of the work, they found their very own methods to be of their physique and in area. Their white costumes spoke to open chance.
They traveled their very own journey, in parallel to at least one one other – as all of us should do. As was true of this system at massive, creative form and motion pathway stored me intrigued all through – the large concept of “self-actualization” apart. I used to be additionally reminded right here: these artists appear to by no means get caught in how different artists have impressed them or in what they themselves have completed earlier than.
Alsamsam’s DYSTOPIC introduced extra edgy thriller, with its personal kinetic taste. The rating (by Lorn) had such a transparent pulsing rhythm that I couldn’t assist however dance alongside in my seat as I watched. Through each sustained, lengthening shapes and sharp gestures, Alsamsam made eager use of these dynamic rhythms. With it being a trio, she additionally juxtaposed – in a number of creative methods – one dancer towards two. That can be unified, similar to in athletic lifts, or divided, with one dancer nonetheless as the opposite two moved. This strategy sharpened the stress within the air in addition to supplied myriad potentialities on the physique degree.
I would count on one thing with this title to really feel even extra tense, maybe chilling…but it surely being extra measured than that raises fascinating questions. Do these in a dystopia know thatthey’re in a dystopia? What occurs if/once they don’t? Short of all these questions, the environment and aesthetic at hand was lots attractive.
Juliana Willey-Thomas’ s y n a p s e is a commendable instance of how live performance dance can illuminate phenomena of varied scientific disciplines…and likewise merely be lovely artwork. Smooth canon created the chain response impact of firing neurons. Dancers transferring by way of that with numerous qualities, in very a lot their very own means as motion artists, additionally underscored the multifaceted outcomes of these neurons firing.
The unfavourable area between the dancers, the stage area between them, was one other sort of synapse – which they crammed with kinetic energy and dedicated presence. Keen musicality (with the rating from mum) and crowd pleasing costumes stored all of it compelling on a purely aesthetic degree. The work had lots to thrill each the thoughts and the senses.
Jami Adams’ They Are We additionally succeeded in each of these domains, this time by way of considerate abstraction. A powerful rhythmic high quality crammed the stage from the beginning. Dancers gave their all to sharp canon and evocative gesture. That met the electronica rating (from Travis Lake) and black costumes to create a vaguely futuristic punk environment.
One dancer broke from the group to search out independence…however later assist. Both are doable, if not at all times straightforward to search out. Apart from that, narrative and context was hazy – however agitation was clear (which accent and angularity translated to me extra successfully than the convulsive actions – however maybe the latter can be more practical with different viewers). In their very own our bodies, and in one another (by way of notably crisp staging), they discovered some form of concord. The aesthetic at hand was additionally fairly intriguing, and satisfying, in and of itself.
With each the intellectually and aesthetically stimulating on provide, there was lots for a wide range of viewers members to understand. Arguably, those that can savor each domains – and, moreover, how each can turn into greater than the sum of their elements – have been poised to remove probably the most. Either means, everybody advantages. So does dance as a subject and artwork type – with artists like these of Nozama Dance Collective by no means letting it stagnate.
By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.
