My Favorite Dance Company

The Garth Fagan Dance company is in New York this week, performing two different programs at The Joyce Theater in Chelsea now through November 11. Thursday night, they performed four pieces, including a world premiere, and true to form, they didn’t disappoint.

An unexplained technical difficulty caused re-ordering of the night’s scheduled program. The second piece, an excerpt from Senku called Talking Drums, was performed first and highlighted the many, delightful talents of the always impressive Guy Thorne who danced alone accompanied by a piano solo. Senku is a Ghanian word for a keyboard instrument and Thorne put his ballet and modern dance skills to use reaching physical heights to match the musical highs and lows.

The world premiere, Edge/Joy, put the full 12 member company on display against music composed by Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon and performed live by the Eastman School of Music Ensemble. Moving fluidly in and out of small and larger groups, they exhibited moments of calm interrupted by sudden intensity.

Technical problems resolved, the opening piece was performed third. It was easy to see why they wanted to start off the evening with it. Earth Eagle First Circle was rooted in a Native American theme, with movements called Cultural Warrior, River Song, Spirit Seakers/Reservation Blues and Rest on the Run. Steve Humphrey was featured along with the full company in dances reminiscent of Indian tribal ceremonies set to a jazz/Indian score, composed and performed by Don Pullen.

The final number, Life: Dark/Light was danced in three segments, Life, Kiama (for killed in action, missing in action) and Light, had a strong Southeast Asian theme in music, dance and costume. The middle part, performed by Norwood Pennewell and Bill Ferguson, had the two in combat fatigues, in a dance of resistance to war and death. Nicolette Depass, Micha Scott, Annique Roberts and Kaori Otani were the highlights in the very colorful and graceful final movement.

Costumers Linda King, Rebecca Hodgson and Mary Nemecek Peterson, provided beautiful wardrobe that accentuated each dance throughout the evening.

Garth Fagan Dance LINK
The Joyce Theater LINK
Dance Class (November 23, 2003) LINK