"Poem", "Moods", "Sweet in the Morning", "Preludes", "Dreams"
Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble
The Mark O'Donnell Theater
Brooklyn, New York
March 8, 2018
by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill
Anna Sokolow was a modern dance pioneer whose works, while abstract, are richly theatrical, dealing with both human emotions and broader social themes. Her legacy has been valiantly carried on by Director Jim May and the recently appointed Artistic Director Samantha Géracht, both former Sokolow dancers. The program, subtitled "Moods and Dreams" ranged from the meditatively personal "Poem" to the haunting Holocaust-inspired "Dreams". The dancers' grounded strength, unexaggerated power, and fierce theatrical determination made the works seen timeless.
Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble in "Moods" photo © Steven Pisano.
"Moods", from 1975, was set to ten pieces by György Ligeti, and has not been danced since the late 1970s; it has been revived by Sokolow dancer Lauren Naslund. The seven dancers, in burgundy unisex leotards, explored the various moods suggested by the music, opening and returning to the protective, though sometimes ominous community. The dancers, with their low, grounded moves and stylized architectural groupings, moved seamlessly through the music and the piece had a hypnotic, if at times unsettling quality, punctuated with undercurrents of violence and fear.
"Sweet in the Morning", choreographed in 1972 by Leni Wylliams to the song by Bobby McFerrin, was a bracing contrast. Guest artist Clarence Brooks danced on and around a low bench, his undulating arms and slow grace suggesting a hot and languorous day. It was not all sweetness, though, as his powerful center hinted at hidden sobs. The music, the dance, and the dancer melded into a lazy afternoon.
Photos © Steven Pisano:
Top: Anna Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble in "Moods"
Middle: Anna Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble in "Preludes"
Bottom: Anna Sokolow Threatre/Dance Ensemble in "Dreams"
Copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill