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Danceplorations

Presented by Dancepatheatre at TBH Center (Talento Bilingüe de Houston)

April 17, 2010

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Dancepatheatre presents Danceplorations, a unique showcase of six daring choreographers who investigate the intersection of modern dance with spoken word and voice. Live music, a spoken word artist, a Greek chorus, bilingual narration, authentic life stories, and passionate dancing are among the highlights featured in this program. This showcase features works by Artistic Director Sara Draper and independent choreographers Leslie Scates, Toni Leago Valle, Elizabeth Lucrezio, Lydia Hance, and newcomer Katelyn Halpern.

Dancepatheatre will perform three favorite short works by Draper. Two excerpts from the March 2009 production of Caution: Women at Work include Calves, a light-hearted solo danced by Draper, and the powerful My Story, featuring internationally renowned African American poet/spoken word artist Donna Garrett and one of "Houston's most engaging dancers," Catalina Molnari.

Flash Responses published online by audience members of the 2009 production included:

"...Ms. Garrett's powerful renditions of her poetry punctuated by equally moving dance performances..."
"I am riveted by Donna's presence - if you have not seen Donna perform, you have missed out."
"Calves focuses on a playful moment in adolescence - a preteen girl caught between child and woman,"
"...endearing..."
"I hope it will be repeated in the near future. I have friends with whom I would like to share this experience."

Dancepatheatre also presents a revamped and newly costumed version of the Gypsy Trio from its ongoing Al Andalus Project featuring Draper's Modern-Andalusian Fusion style. A new work from the Al Andalus Project is created each year, celebrating the diverse cultures that coexisted in peace in medieval Andalusia. Bilingual narration performed live has been woven into this vibrant piece, danced by Spanish native Silvia Salamanca and Houston dancers Shanon Adams and Ashley Horn.

Dancepatheatre's works have been described as, "More than dance, more than theater." As Houston's dance company that excels in consistently fusing modern dance with story, word, and voice, Dancepatheatre steps forward to celebrate this fusion art by showcasing some of Houston's independent choreographers who daringly venture into this artistic terrain.

Choreographer/dancer Lydia Hance will show Dancing Diana, premiered in last summer's Frenetic Fringe Festival. This suite is a combination of daring, sharply witty short stories by playwright Diana Weeks (also appearing onstage) and danced by four audaciously gutsy dancers. The Billies is Leslie Scates' dance-vocal premier that will make your heart shine. Scates and Natasha Manley perform three traditional bluegrass songs about the afterlife and judgement day, with gestural dance based on preacher/sermon movments. The new set continues a line of work Scates developed for the 2008 Big Range Dance Festival.

 Toni Leago Valle, known for her full length narrative dance/theatre,will premier Baptism: Tree, a sextet section from her upcoming concert, Baptism, based on the fears/inertia that keep people from attaining the life of their dreams. Choreographer/dancer Elizabeth Lucrezio presents Comforts: Levelled, an intimate dance-word investigation of friendship, also for six dancers. This extends her development of Monarch Edges, created in her 2009 Hopewerks residency.

Dancepatheatre's commitment to assist young artists with voice-dance fusion led it to initiate the Young Choreographrs Mentorship Program this year. The 2010 recipient, Katelyn Halpern, draws from her choreography for the recent University of Houston production of Sophocles' play, Electra, to explore dance and deconstruction of a classical Greek chorus. On-stage accompaniment by Elliot Cole on harmonium and Lance Higdon on percussion and laptop create musical and emotional texture.

A talk-back with choreographers immediately follows the show. 8pm. Talento Bilingue de Houston, 333 S. Jensen Drive.

Danceplorations, a Dancepatheatre Arts Project, is funded in part by a grant from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

Pictured:  detail of a photo by Cory Cannella.