Review: A Fantastic Evening with Michelle Dorrance and Nicholas Van Young

Thursday, February 16, 2017, in a one night only engagement, brought together MacArthur Fellow Michelle Dorrance and Bessie Award winner Nicholas Van Young for the world premiere of the inaugural Works & Process Rotunda Project at the Guggenheim Museum. This is a new residency and commissioning initiative that invites artists to create site-specific work for the iconic Guggenheim rotunda. This culminating residency performance that features the dancers and musicians from Michelle's company Dorrance Dance with special guests Ephrat "Bounce" Asherie and Matthew "Mega Watts" West combines dance and percussion to create a performative soundscape while incorporating the rotunda as a musical instrument.

Coming to this performance, I was not completely sure what I was walking into. This project presents a unique presentation for both the audience and the performers. Audience members are able to view the performance from the ramps of the museum that requires you to stand for the duration of the show. As a performer, I'm sure it presented its challenges of how to dance in a space that was not created with dance performances in mind- with a non-dancer-friendly floor and echoing acoustics in the space. But to my amazement, they did an excellent job of using the entire space and sound of the rotunda. They used what many would find to be challenges as opportunities for a fantastic show!

There was a buzz in the room as soon as you walked through the doors in anticipation of what was to come. Conversations quickly turned to cheers as soon as the artists took the floor. There was so much going on it is hard to explain everything that I saw! The opening was very powerful and exciting. It featured Michelle sitting on a drum, beating the heartbeat of the rhythm as the dancers came out making different beats and rhythms with their feet and hands while beating and pushing hollow wood blocks around the floor, making interesting floor patterns. I loved the use of percussion instruments. In one section they fused what looked like martial arts movements, while playing the clave. It took lots of focus as they circled around each other while keeping the beat with the clave. They didn't miss a sound! Another favorite part was when the dancers came out with wind chimes and created these lovely and soothing sounds.

There was also a section of audience participation. Nicholas led the audience through various claps and rhythms. He divided the crowd into four sections, each learning a different beat whether by clapping, whistling, or another sound we can make with our hands. It was fun!

The dancers kept you guessing of where in the space they would be. On one of the upper levels, the performers did an a capella singing section. They had such beautiful voices. In another part, the dancers were on a different level playing long plastic tubes on the banister of the rotunda making a very cool beat. They even continued the beat as they ran down the ramps into the elevator and back to the main floor. Michelle and Nicholas even used the fountain! They had some wooden bowls of different sizes and put them in the water upside down. They then played the bottoms of the bowls creating a xylophone-like instrument in the water.

Up to this point, there was no tapping, until the dancers came out with platforms of wood in parallel lines with their tap shoes in hand. For the finale, in addition to tapping, the dancers incorporated all the percussion instruments they used throughout the program (the drums, claves, wind chimes) for a very exciting ending.

What a fantastic piece! I absolutely loved it. As I walked up to the museum, there was a line down the block and around the corner and now I know why. Michelle Dorrance is an amazing dancer and choreographer. She proved why she is one of the most sought after tap dancers of our time. She has an artistic genius that takes tap dance to the next level. This was hands down, the best show I have ever seen! Bravo! And Nicholas is very talented and has a great ear for rhythm and sound.

The Works & Process Rotunda Project is a new commissioning site-specific residency for performances in the Guggenheim rotunda. The next project will take place in September 2017, spearheaded by American Ballet Theatre principal Daniil Simkin, with choreography by Alejandro Cerrudo. For more information, please visit their website at worksandprocess.org.

Photo Credit: Works & Process Rotunda Project: Michelle Dorrance with Nicholas Van Young, February 16, 2017, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Rotunda. Photo by: Matthew Murphy

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