By Pepper Parr
October 13th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There were three parts to the program – didn’t matter which one you were watching, the choreography for each guides, pushes, and pulls audience members through physically raw movements and emotional extremes.
Follower, leading – hierarchy and identity – all played out on a platform with some of the most imaginative interpretive dance this city has seen.
Reflective/Vulnerable was at the Performing Arts Centre with a two evening and a single matinee program that opened with an interactive video installation put together by the Burlington Wholeshebang. Images appeared on a screen and people were invited to walk onto the platform and move their bodies anyway they wished – this allowed them to change the image.
Trevor Copp, a noted local dancer, said the idea was to make the line between the audience and the platform impermeable. A number of people took to the platform.
There was then a dance scene that was coquettish in nature featuring Lisa Emmons and Phillipe Poirier. . It is amazing to watch two dancers who know what it is they want to convey, use their bodies to send messages to each other. Lisa flirted with Poirier and used exaggerated looks over her shoulder while Poirier made clear his frustration with what this woman was doing to him.
Emmons has taken to one of the latest hair stylings where the left side of her scalp is been shaved clean leaving her with a very aboriginal look. It is arresting but it suits her.
Some strong music was played through the dance – ranging from Mozart to von Karajan and Fever Ray.
Few words were spoken during this dance routine – when it came to the point where Poirier wanted to say he was no longer interested and Emmons wanted to know why Poirier reverted to words and said: “It’s the hair”.
It was a fun, funny exceptionally well executed dance.
There was an intermission while the dancing areas was fitted with the props it would need. The audience could have been told that what was coming was harsh, raw – at times almost violent.
Titled: Blue (dot) Political, the dance had incredible energy and strength – there were times when the dancers appeared to be attacking each other.
A masked group – they could have been described as a chorus, were silent and tended to move in unison while Philipe Poirier, Lisa Emmons, Amanda Pye, Mateo Galindo Torres and Mayumi Laskbrook spilled energy all over the dance platform.
A statement was definitely being made – to whom was not clear to me but that huge energy and will was being put forward was never in doubt.
Lisa Emmons performing in Blue (Dot) Political at the Performing Arts Centre.
The performance notes say: How high you get is only important to how grounded you are – which really doesn’t say much. The notes go on to add Blue (dot) Political is a reflection of the roles of leader and follower: hierarchy and identity. And that is certainly what the performance conveys. Do the followers then overthrow?
The performance didn’t have answers – it focused on the struggle. At the close of the performance a flag that was on the back wall changed colour – what was a flag that was mostly white took on a red hue – it was a painful struggle, blood had been shed.
The attendance was small but not embarrassing – these dancers are well worth whatever time you choose to give them.
