I wasn’t that impressed on Friday night. (cringe, ugh.)
Granted, the dancers in the company were fantastic. The men in the company were particularly versatile and athletic (and cute!) and the women were powerful, with spectacular lines. I got the pleasure of hanging out with two of the dancers after the show at our annual student reception and had a great time.
I just wish I could say that about the show.
The performance consisted of a new work by a female choreographer, a historical modern work by Jose Limón, and a fun piece celebrating the coming of age in Hispanic culture. None of the pieces had a common theme at all, making it a very jarring performance from piece to piece. Their newest piece in the program, Nube Blanco, was an intriguing and entertaining work. Choreographically, it was challenging and thoughtful. It combined traditional Hispanic movement, contemporary choreography, and tongue-in-cheek humor on many different levels, from the costuming to the vocal accentuations.
There is a Time, by Limón, is an arguably important work from one of the founders of modern dance. However, a man behind me actually took a short phone call during this piece and I didn’t mind at all, when I usually would have turned around and given him the stink eye. Having danced in a Limón work, I appreciate the technicality and precision that his choreography requires. But I really don’t enjoy watching most of his pieces. Quinceañera was a flashback to bad high school choreography, including a lot of “clever” moments that I felt like I had seen before.
For a company that is somewhat rebuilding, I hope Luna Negra will produce difficult and interesting works in years to come. They’ve made some great dances in the past; they just weren’t displayed during this performance. And I’ll wait pensively for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company next season.
Erin
