Bevin_Poole and Vanessa Goodman
Bevin_Poole



Dancers Dancing

The Fine Line – twisted angels

Dates and Venue 23 - 26 May2012 | Studio D at SFU, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts

Choreography Judith Garay Music Patrick Pennefather Video Flick Harrison
Costumes Margaret Jenkins Lighting John Macfarlane

Performers Cai Glover, Vanessa Goodman and Bevin Poole

Reviewer Nancie Ottem


Studio D at SFU, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts was the venue for the Dancers Dancing performance of The Fine Line – twisted angels which opened tonight. It is a small studio with black curtains that frame the space. As the lights dimmed one wondered how the dancers would fill this blank canvas against which they were required to work.

The performance lasted one hour without an intermission. The dancers danced accompanied by a series of sounds which accentuated their movements. The sound fell through the space created by the movement of the dancers. It nudged their bodies into shapes and expressions. One could hear the breathing of the dancers as they worked. The lighting acted to support and define the movement of the piece. It is a piece that engages the senses and forces the viewer into patterns of thought.

The piece begins with a single dancer, Cai Glover, performing in front of a pulsing image projected on the black curtain behind him. His movements and the pulse of the image behind him seem to simulate birth or an awakening of consciousness. The digital sound and the lighting draw us into his journey. We are carried along a maze of thoughts as we work to interpret the scene unfolding in front of us.

Gradually two other dancers, Vanessa Goodman and Bevin Poole, drag themselves to centre stage. They are under long grey trench coats which seem like cocoons from which they emerge. They perform their interactive dance in isolation from the first dancer. Are we to interpret this as the angst of human relationships or the difficulty we have in interacting with each other or trusting one another or learning about each other? We are again forced to engage in the piece because it asks something of us.

The final section of this piece brings all three dancers together. As they dance their faces glisten with the effort of their commitment to their work. We see them in pools of circular light that is projected on the floor. The pools hold patterns and colours. We are affected by the change in the light, the new presence of colour and the increased interaction between the dancers. We are asked to heighten our sense of awareness of the world around us.

The work that Judith Garay has created takes each of us on a personal journey. The sound, light, video imaging, movement and the clever use of costume all combine to envelope the senses and to force a dialogue within ourselves. A lot of experience and talent has come together to create this piece. The cultural scene in Vancouver is enriched with this production.

© 2012 Nancie Ottem