My absolute favorite of all the shows Howard University Theater had this semester. This show far surpassed my expectations. There was high quality and tremendous talent both in the dancers and the choreographers. This Dance showcase entitled, “Unleashed: Inventive Explorations and Inhibitions” ran for too short of a time. November 18th and 19th 2011, was not enough time for the community to absorb this magnificence. I would love to see this staged again so that more can be inspired and motivated from it. The question and answer section after was a pleasant surprise for me. Seeing Interim Coordinator, Denise Saunder Thompson brought to tears by the actualization of this show thanks to a financial donor made me see the commitment she has to the excelling of her students and to the theater arts.
The ambiance created by light designer, TW Starnes was always in accurate alignment with the feeling of the piece that was being performed. It added heavily to the various moods intended by each dance. It evoked stunning when it needed to be so and soft when required and everything else in between. It was very clear that rehearsal director, Pat Thomas and assistant rehearsal director Christen Williams were dedicated. This was evidenced by the high quality of the entire performance. The last dance performed and choreographed by Kevin A. Harris was the only exception leaving me feeling a little disappointed that the quality and dedication to this last dance was lacking in passion and quality. This however was miniscule and took no glory from the magnificence of the entire show.
It was very hard to choose just one piece to focus on. I loved Alyse Johnson’s “The Cold Side of The Pillow”. This ballet spoke to me and evoked several emotions. The authenticity of this choreography was un-doubtable. I would defiantly attend her shows. However the dance that stood out in my soul the most was “The Real Cool” by Camille A Brown.
First there was blackness out of which came a blue light forming the background of the stage. The blue light was strongest at the bottom and fading into the powerful blackness of above. A silhouette was created by a powerful presence of one being on the stage. I was already pulled by the initial blackness but now a stronger force seemed to pull me. The being on stage seemed at first to be engaged in mime. This feature began to create a feeling of tension in me as the mime grew in energy. This growth was conveyed by the being’s increased speed in movement together with an intense breathing that also grew in speed juxtaposed by the music, “What a wonderful World”.
I use the word “being” because even though a “woman” is in the body fitted costume, which laced up in the back, she embodied the struggle of what seemed to be many humans consisting of both male and female. In the process of this daily struggle and repetitive motions of work and rest and work and rest and work and rest many are dislocated from their soul and humanness. In order to maintain the physical body however and all the other physicality’s that go along with this maintenance such as food, clothing and shelter most “must” be employed to gain money to pay for these things. Brown does an excellent job of portraying this struggle with abrupt rigid moves of her joints. I felt that she was a puppet on a few strings because her elbow would rise leaving her hand still dangling, then all of a sudden her head would arise and eventually her hands. The fact that the spotlight remained on her caused me to be even more engaged in the dance and to feel that I was also this being experiencing this emotion.
As the piece progressed the tension within me also progressed. I thought of the “rat race” that many in the US and other developed countries live daily. There was a repetition of her resting and then arising most times as if forced to arise. This made me think of the working human mindlessly “doing” a job with no real engagement of heart or soul followed by sleep only to be startled into action by an alarm clock the next morning with insufficient rest. As this progresses over a lifetime (and for some just a few months or years in enough) one becomes tiered and sad. The energy needed to continue to work becomes harder to find and so the resistance increases. She portrays this well with the panting breath that we hear. The resistance is seen in her face. Though her face seems to portray that of a puppet we see her human side just enough to know her anguished feelings.
As “What A Wonderful World” is playing, a haunting feeling arises in me and I am brought to tears as I feel her struggle. She seems to be building something every time she “arises”. This is conveyed with building movements she creates with her hands. Whatever she is building seems to have no true meaning to her. She seems to represent an enslaved person, a pawn in a bigger plot to which she is opposed, a puppet on a string whose body is controlled by another’s body and mind and a person opressed by a larger system.
The choreographer, Camille Brown did a superb job in conveying her intent of contradiction through music and action. In addition, the choice of costume by costume coordinators Michael Bradford and Jeleesa Greenley was well suited to this piece in which the ability to see all of her body enhanced and highlighted the intent behind the jerky movements of the figure. It also allowed us to see appreciate the rhythm of her movements.
By the end of the modern dance I am also very tiered and amazed at how much I am affected by this piece internally. My limbs even grew tiered as I anticipated an end that seemed never to come. Finally it did as the limbs of the being/puppet/dehumanized human got closer and closer to the floor in shear exhaustion. Just before the curtain fell, Brown left us with a haunting smile that was intentionally fake and highlighted by the very red lipstick. Her dramatic make up fit the performance, as we were able to see again the contradiction in expression and the real emotion of the being.
This fake smile was accompanied by a wave that left me disturbed but simultaneously stirred inside with the desire and commitment to be true to my own art and life. A renewed commitment to my own authenticity was then “Unleashed”.
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