Company demonstrates modern
dance
By Anna Herkamp
Staff
Writer
The Loeb Playhouse was ignited by the energy of
Sean Curran and his dance company Thursday night as they performed an
evening of contemporary dance from a variety of dance traditions.
At 7:28 p.m., the audience increased as people
awaited the dancers' stage entrance. After the introduction, the velvet
curtain opened and a contemporary twist of traditional Indian music
flooded the auditorium.
The company opened with a piece titled "Symbolic
Logic." The dance had symbolism; however, the "logic"
was debatable. The costumes were plain white leotards with a colored
dot on the back. They displayed the sleek, slender muscle curvature
of each dancer’s body.
The dance itself was a combination of kicks similar
to martial arts, and lunges, as if to suggest a fighting stance.
It was difficult to follow the choreography at
times because of how the dance was organized. The dancers seemed to
have a light of their own as they moved independently of one another.
The next piece, "Abstract Concrete,"
opened with a percussion interlude, and began in a manner similar to
"Symbolic Logic." However, this piece was more energetic with
a faster beat. The colorful costumes helped encompass the soft, calculated
movements and made the dance flawless.
As the performance continued, the tempo slowed
and the third piece, "The Nothing That Is Not There, and the Nothing
That Is," was accompanied by a piano solo and four dancers. There
were various combinations of partners - two men, two women, as well
as mixed pairs. The partnering was often humorous and touching at the
same time; perhaps to suggest the many relationships people have with
one another throughout life.
The most entertaining part of the evening, the
finale - "Folk Dance for the Future," got the most audience attention.
It was a parody of traditional Irish folk dance,
likely taken from Curran’s own experience as an Irish folk dancer
when he was a child. The dance went back and forth from serious, graceful
movements to making fun of the popular "Riverdance" clogging
techniques.
Sean Curran finally appeared with his company in
the last segment, appearing in an Irish kilt like the rest of the dancers.
Once again, there was partnering, and this time comedy was combined
with gay awareness as three pairs of dancers performed with baby dolls.
In an earlier interview, Curran said this piece was designed to make
the audience laugh and bring about awareness of the changing family
structure.
Many audience members may not have been familiar
with the modern dance style; however, the energy from the stage transcended
to them, and the grace and style of each movement made the art form
extraordinary to watch.
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