Saturday, June 30, 2007

Arodasi Dance used butoh, bags, burqahs and a solo piano soundscape by Clyde Hargrove


Dorothinia, Clyde
Originally uploaded by trudeau11
Skye Creswell had to learn to breathe inside a large black plastic bag for her opening part in Arodasi Dance troupe's Lost Cities performance. It seemed appropriate, I'm sure. The one hour fifteen minute dance piece was about struggle, in all of its forms.

Suzanne DeLacour, wrapped in swaths of fabric, moved in the slow motion form typical of the Japanese art of butoh. Her burden was palpable.

Tim Sample, in tuxedo, was a foil to the striving women. But the women found ways around the black-clad figure.

Solo piano by Clyde Hargrove rippled through the room. His rhapsody found both melodic as well as staccato, spiky themes. His waves of notes suited the story.

In the climax, the women - including director Dorothinia - appeared in immense fabric cocoons. Under the self-tents they were clad in fabric from head to toe. Fabric flapped at the ends of arms; faces were stylized forms under the burqah-like costumes. The image was reminiscent of sculptor Clyde Connell's series of Bound People.

Life in Lost Cities seemed to echo the current existence of souls in a city called Shreveport. The performance at 327 Texas on Sat, June 30, drew a room full of people. It is a small space; it was a bit warm. Flickeringly lighted, the set featured a projection of a large, red sun.

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