Keigwin + Company
Terrace Theater
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
October 23, 2009
by George Jackson
copyright 2009 by George Jackson
What more would you want when the curtain goes up than heavenly music, titillation and movement that's dancy? Larry Keigwin's "Elements" kicks off with Mozart (the so-called "Elvira Madigan" Andante), a half dozen bodies seemingly nude behind toweling, and bouncy, funny action. The theme of the first four, fairly short numbers in this tongue-in-cheek catalog of antique chemistry and human antics is the element "Water". No question that we were being entertained. Yet, I found myself waiting for a change, I wanted a surprise - at least by the time "Fire", the second theme, arrived. In "Fire", like in its wet counterpart, I counted four, brief, catchily humorous dances. All the musical offerings were tasty and choice. Again so in "Earth", for which Keigwin himself performed the opening solo looking like the young Mark Morris. The resemblance triggered a memory.
It was in this theater, years ago, that I had my first glimpse of a dance by the then barely known Mr. Morris. The piece, which took off from the verse "I think that I shall never see / a poem lovely as a tree", was cute and clever, yet it was also something more. It had perspective. There were intimations of, well, profundity. Keigwin's 15 dances (there are only 3 for the fourth and final element, "Air") seem hermetically sealed.
At times, the neat, light Keigwin choreography almost intensified. Nicole Wolcott's solo, "Flame" was headed in that direction but didn't get there. In the duet "Breeze", Matthew Baker and Keigwin nearly wove their paths into an inventive web but desisted. Andrew Cook seems capable of being sly, not just baring it. I suppose I should be grateful for the skill with which Keigwin blends ballet articulation, ballroom sweep and comic punctuation. He pleases those who want to snack, not those craving substance.
