Four Choreographers Share a Week at the Joyce Theater

Choreographers Camilla A. Brown, Andrea Miller, Kate Weare and Monica Bill Barnes, share a week as they present two dance programs from August 9^th to August 14^th at The Joyce Theater.  You still have time to catch Camilla A. Brown and Andrea Miller, performing August 11^th and August 13^th.  Kate Weare and Monica Bill Barnes will be performing August 12^th and August 14^th.  If you don't have the time to catch all four choreographers over two days, there is a Family matinee on August 14^th in which all four choreographers will be represented.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to catch the Kate Weare and Monica Bill Barnes program.  Both choreographers, representing the latest in American contemporary dance, presented two diverse pieces commenting on the human spirit over the evening.   In Bright Land, the Kate Weare Company presented an exploration of intimacy told through the rhythm and soul of old-time music.  In Another Parade, Monica Bill Barnes & Company present a comedic celebration of life on the stage set to a diverse score ranging from Bach to James Brown.

The evening's thirteen minute delayed start can be forgiven by the fact that it was a mostly well executed night. The choreography was visually appealing and the light design was simple and elegant. It did its job of highlighting the dancers as they explored the space through the music.  The one draw-back of the program was its sound design, at least the night I saw.  It was blown out and picked up far too much ambient noise.  I don't know about you, but I think the sound of the dancers breathing and the beat of their feet as they hit the stage is just as important, if not more important than, the music.  When that element becomes completely obscured, the humanity of the piece is lost.  No group got hit harder by this than the Kate Weare Company.  The microphones were so hot on their live band that every shuffle of paper, feet, instruments and clearing of throats were heard to the back of the house.  I found myself following the band, trying to figure out what was going on and therefore missing the piece.  The flawed sound design distracting from the dance actually made Bright land impossibly frustrating to follow.

Four Choreographers Share a Week at The Joyce Theater runs now through August 14^th.  If you are a dance fan, it's a great opportunity to check out four American choreographers. If you have a little dancer at home, it's a great opportunity to expose them to the creativity and limitless bounds of contemporary dance.  Nonetheless, when you go, I hope at least the sound team on Bright Land gets themselves in order or else you will lose most of what you came to see.  Tickets start at $10 and are available at 212-242-0800 or www.joyce.org.