A SYMPHONY OF DANCE: TRILOGY OF NOTES. Presented by WGRUV Dance Company. Artistic Director Holly Gruver. SHEILA CHISHOLM attended the first of three performances at The Star Theatre in Cape Town.
Based in Bryanston, Gauteng, WGRUV Dance Company’s third visit to Cape Town presented three disparate works, by three seasoned American choreographers.
The first piece by Jessica Lang employed the classical technique. Staged by Rachel Serest, Lang’s choreography crafted her plotless Vivace Motifs around George Frideric Handel and Arcangelo Corelli’s music. In this instance plotless refers to ‘having no definable story line’. It is however, the strong bond between music, choreography, lighting design and costumes that define this elegant work (Lang, Simon King, Kirsten Bailes respectively).
At times movement stems from the classical petit allegro vocabulary, until the music dictates the expansive grand allegro vocabulary, or lyrically poetic flow of the adage idiom. Vivace Motifs, is an attractive, well-danced work, by three couples in multi-various combinations and patterns.
Permission to Fall premiere
Contemporary choreographer Brad Beukes chose Cape Town to host the world premiere of his ultra-modern piece, Permission to Fall. Set to music by YMusic and Ryan Lott; Selections from First, in a video clip Beukes, explained the links between his seven individual characters.
Once again strikingly costumed by Kirsten Bailes, Beukes’ rational behind Ruan Galdino as Fire, Ashton Harris illustrating The Champion, Lex Gruver symbolizing The Architect, Lisa Stapelberg suggesting The Hungry, Chloe Oosthuizen depicting The Wounded, Saili Gruver as The Glamour and Anna van den Bergh standing for The Eye, isn’t easy to follow in a first viewing.
One couldn’t fault dancers’ musicality or technical prowess, however to fully appreciate how all these roles fitted together Permission to Fall is best appreciated by another viewing.
Michael Trusnovec set his The Weight of a Moment to the silky, smooth vocals of June Christy and, live bass player Emmanuel Paul. Trusnovec gave his dancers an elegance and grace reminiscent of Fred Astaire, and his all-time important message that through dance, a weary-public, can learn that with love, life is good.
A joyous piece, performed by WGRUV’s full company and guest artist Marlon Sales.
Tucked upstage on a lofty balcony sat WGRUV’s prize musicians– Emmanuel Paul (bass) and Darlington Okofu (keys). They were responsible for interludes between items and occasionally accompanying the dancers. Excellent teamwork all-round. WGRUV, please visit Cape Town again.
Read our interview with Artistic Director Holly Gruver here.
What: WGRUV Dance Company Trilogy of Notes review
Where, when: Cape Town: Star Theatre, Homecoming Centre, October 2024
Info: www.wgruvdance.com
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