Review: Artistic Forms Brilliantly Collide in Damian Woetzel's DEMO: PLACE at Kennedy Center

I confess that I didn't see the first DEMO presentation at Kennedy Center in the fall of 2015, but after seeing the 2016 incantation - DEMO: PLACE - I really wish I had. In all my years of watching (and sometimes reviewing) a variety of artistic presentations at the Kennedy Center, I can hardly think of any other event that so perfectly offers a nicely packaged look at what the performing art center is all about. With Director/Curator Damian Woetzel's DEMO: PLACE, audiences could experience Lil Buck and Ron "Prime Tyme" Myles jookin' (a largely improvisational street dance that originated in Memphis); hear the rhythmic creations of Grammy nominee Sandeep Das, one of today's leading tabla players; appreciate violinist Johnny Gandelsman and cellist David Teie's intricate playing on classical tunes and more; take in a little bit of Spanish (specifically Galician) culture as Cristina Pato played the bagpipes (she also played the piano); take a trip to China as Wu Tong shared some traditional Chinese music by singing and playing a variety of unique woodwind instruments; and experience the sophisticated musicianship of singer-songwriter, bassist, and pianist, Kate Davis.

Yet, what makes DEMO: PLACE so special is that the idea isn't just to showcase these artistic forms and the talented individuals that represent them as standalone entities. The diverse musicians/dancers joyously collaborated together in a veritable jam session. Nothing was put on. It seemingly all occurred in the moment. The artistic forms collided in an astoundingly unique way, and we were taken on a trip around the world. We could appreciate the artistic (and, in this case, geographic) differences, certainly, but as the artists came together we can also, as Woetzel explains in the program, see the ties that bind us. At the end, when the entire company performed "Little Red Corvette" as a tribute to Prince and the audience began to sing along, the idea that 'we're all in this together' was very much reinforced.

It's probably not a wise decision for me to highlight the most memorable moments as I would with most reviews. Simply put, that goes against the grain of what Woetzel set out to do here (and he does it exceptionally well), and, well, it was all pretty great. Still, I must admit the Spain geek that I am very much appreciated the traditional Galician tunes ("Muiñeiras"/"Jota de Pontevedra") as performed by Cristina Pato on the bagpipes. You wouldn't necessarily think a little bit of jookin' by Lil Buck and Ron "Prime Tyme" Myles would complement that very well, but it very much did. The improvisational vocal stylings of Wu Tong were also very unique, as was a collaborative effort by Wu Tong and Sandeep Das. I don't think you could experience that in many other American artistic institutions outside of the Kennedy Center.

Likewise, from the moment Lil Buck and Ron "Prime Tyme" Myles entered the stage, wowing us with their music sensibilities, and timing their flexible and smooth dance moves to a variety of music, I was impressed. Their art form knows no music boundary, and is always meaningful and visually interesting.

Kate Davis' musical stylings took me back to November 2013 and the Kennedy Center's American Voices event. She took part in the jazz masterclass, but stepped in for another ailing musician to perform in the concert on the big stage with the likes of Sara Bareilles, Josh Groban, Ben Folds, Eric Owens, and Sutton Foster, and I remember being blown away by her many talents. Her follow-up performance this weekend of "One Way Ticket" and "I Prefer Not to Fly"- both tunes she penned herself - were exquisitely introspective and meaningful, and showcased her quirky, but decidedly strong and rich voice. Her bass skills were also put to good use throughout the evening, adding another sonic dimension to the proceedings.

Overall, this was a night to remember and I look forward to the next DEMO. It's definitively Kennedy Center, and offers wonderful exposure to a diverse array of music and dance stylings.

DEMO: PLACE took place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC on April 22 and 23, 2016. This review covers the April 22 performance.

Photo: By Teresa Wood. Pictured: Cristina Pato, Lil Buck, Ron "Prime Tyme" Myles, Johnny Gandelsman, David Teie, and Kate Davis.

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