Black Grace Dance Company

UMass, Amherst, MA
www.fineartscenter.com
by Amy Meek

March 9, 2010

"I am proud to be a Pacific Islander, a Samoan. Equally, I am proud to be a New Zealander, a Kiwi...Despite our struggles, it is in this land and under these Gathering Clouds where I will learn, live and love." These words from choreographer Neil Ieremia are used to describe one of the dances in the program by the Black Grace Dance Company, but they can just as easily summarize the content of the entire show. Ieremia's work fuses his native Samoan roots with his acquired Westernized training to create a unique and vibrant dance form. The dances reflected elements of Samoan culture as well as those of nature and family.

The dancers' movements were athletic, yet artistic -- alternating fluid with percussive moments. The troupe manipulated rhythms through the use of the traditional Samoan dance called Fa'ataupati, in which they furiously slapped their hands together and on their bodies in unison to create complex sounds along with vocalizations. This dance was an intense moment -- amazing to watch as the speed and precision with which the dancers moved was lightening fast.

One of the highlights was Ieremia's personal commentary about every piece in the program. It is not often that the choreographer speaks directly to the audience about his experience in creating the dances, but his insights gave those in attendance wonderful vision into his process. He spoke of the challenges of growing up in his Pacific Island culture and his desire to defend that culture from societal criticisms. His words and choreography showed hope amid change and the celebration of a changing culture of people.

Dan Zanes and Friends

Fine Arts Center, Amherst, MA
www.umass.edu/fac/
by Eric Sutter

Dan Zanes and Friends brought their rollicking rollercoaster of musical fun into the Fine Arts Center for the entertainment of area families. Zanes is a multi-instrumentalist who fronted the 80's rock band the Del Fuegos. The new century has brought him into the children's music market where he has found success with numerous family friendly folk recordings that combine Latin, Cajun/Zydeco, Celtic, Bluegrass, Country, Blues and Rock synthesized into fun world-beat music. The colorful costumed six-piece band rocked with the opener, "Thrift Shop." Zanes was in fine form with vestiges of his Rock n' Roll moves still intact. They shifted to a Cajun/Zydeco rhythm on "Fine Friends" with John Fonti on accordion and Elena Moonpark on violin. "Pay Me My Money Down" found Zanes on mandolin with a bluesy folk harmonica solo as the audience sang along. His banjo provided a hoedown feel to the sea shanty "Farewell Nova Scotia." The folk gospel "Welcome Table" featured ukuleles and the children from the Prelude Pre-School of the Arts daycare who appeared on stage to sing along. "Jump Up" started the audience dancing. The acoustic band could play everything from Puerto Rican Christmas songs to Jugband music, which featured spoons and the stand-up bass.

Silly songs like "Mole in the Ground" and "Monkey's Wedding" caused wild dancing with drummer Colin Brooks' drumstick catches at songs' end. "Halloweentown" was seasonally fun with a Celtic recorder solo. Zanes played Rock n' Roll electric guitar behind his head on "Walking the Dog." The fun multiplied with "Catch That Train" as audience participation resulted in the "Locomotion" dance up and down the aisles. The funky "House Party Time" made it feel like a neighborhood block party. The Mexican folk song "Verde Luz" calmed the children as bubbles were blown into the audience. A flashing lighted disco ball upped the energy with dancing "All Around the Kitchen" and singing "Cock-a-doodle-doo." The group closed with "Bye Bye Roseanna" as they waltzed into the audience with all who swayed to and fro.

Paul Taylor Dance Company

Fine Arts Center, UMass, Amherst
by Stacy Ashley

One of the world’s most renowned choreographers revived three popular classics that helped shape what contemporary dance is today. Spending six decades in dance, Paul Taylor brought his creativeness to a new audience.

Arden Court opened the evening with romantic elegance set to music by Baroque composer, William Boyce. With a background reminiscent of local artist Donna Estabrook, the dancers braided themselves within one another moving through syncopated jumps and turns, to simply walking across the stage.

As much as Arden Court was about love, Eventide was about love lost. Set to the bittersweet Suite for Viola and Orchestra and Hymn-Tune Prelude, the dancing focused on couples coming together only to be separated in the end. One of the most poignant moments came at the end when couples walked toward each other in a line, but were then pulled apart by an unseen force. The final couple reached for each other, but only in vain.

The last piece, Le Sacre Du Printemps (The Rehearsal), was quite different from the previous two, and shows off Taylor’s sense of humor. The context is a ballet company rehearsing for a detective-type ballet. There were the usual characters --The Girl, The Private Eye, The Crook, The Mistress, Henchmen and Police etc. Although it became difficult to discern the many layered plots, the dancers infused each character with real emotion. Just like a real Whodunit, there were surprises and twists that evoked shock and laughter.

With a collection of over 128 pieces, Taylor might want to consider his new audience and bring back even more!