Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, MA
through July 22, 2018
by Josephine Sarnelli
Michelle Dorrance is to tap dancing what Michael Flatley is
to Irish dancing. Both saw a need to revive a traditional dance form to keep it
relevant for a new generation. Dorrance Dance successfully pays homage to the
past as it surges into the future.
As the audience was taking their seats, people dressed in
full hazmat attire “swept” the aisles with large brooms. Had it not been for
the absurdity of the sight … and their tap shoes … the audience might have been
alarmed. And thus began the debut performance of “All Good Things Must Come to
an End.”
Ms. Dorrance and three other female performers started this
production number with a traditional vaudeville routine that demonstrated their
outstanding talent. Six distinctly different sets followed, each introduced
with a placard on an easel.
Cane and Abel was an innovative acapella piece that relied
on only footwork and percussive use of the canes to create the rhythm. Although
it drew upon a very conventional prop, the method of employing the cane as a
musical accompaniment was unique.
The ocean voyage by immigrants to this country was
effectively portrayed in Myth of the American Dream. The military rhythms in
this portion were familiar and the audience responded enthusiastically.
The program seemed to lull during The Myth of Narcissism,
when the focus was on one dancer looking into the three mirrors held by other
dancers. Likewise, The Ugly Duckling was not of the same caliber as the other
sets. Ms. Dorrance performed exquisitely in oversized tap shoes, but that in
and of itself was not enough for the routine to succeed.
Josette Wiggan-Freund captured the audience’s attention
again with The Pedestal. She masterfully performed on a very small box, which
amplified the sounds of her taps.
The last set, Fin, apparently referring to finale, brought
the four performers into a humorous and energetic romp through the audience and
out the open backstage door.
The second half of the show “Myelination,” was performed to
an outstanding original jazz score written by the choreographer’s brother. Two
hip-hop dancers and nine tappers filled the stage with explosive dance. The
complexity of the steps was overwhelming and their technical execution dazzling.
There was, however, only a minimal amount of connection with the audience.
The free Inside/Out performance that preceded Dorrance Dance
was at full capacity for Calpulli Mexican Dance Company. “Bode Mexicana,” which translates to
Mexican Wedding, was a visual joy. The beautiful and varied costumes enhanced
each number, as did the live music and singing. The 45-minute set, celebrating
the traditions and diversity of the people of Mexico, left the audience wanting
to see more.