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Dance Theatre of Harlem 2

Following my visit to Sadler's Wells on Saturday the main thing that struck me is that ballets that have intermissions that account for a third of the time spent in the theatre result in a restless skitz. The evening was divided into three separate suites of dances from their repertoire (other nights were treated to other suites) separated by twenty minute intermissions. The succinct thoughts were that it was a very good night out with highs and lows that you would expect from any event. The dazzling costumes, diverse musical scores and a different look at ballet creates a visual and audio extravaganza that is well worth seeing.

The first dance was Dougla. Written by Geoffrey Holder in 1974, a tribal wedding sets the tone for a steady stream of head-wagging ceremonial celebrations. It is an exotic processional set in a tribal wedding complete with his voluminous, eye-catching costumes and a percussive score accented by whistling flutes. However, the extravagant costumes, intricate moves and well composed spartan score fail to cover the small glitches in choreography inherent in having 30+ people on stage and getting them to keep in synch with an almost non existent beat. Perhaps the weakest of the three suites I saw, but it certainly set the stage for further events.

Juxtaposed next to the tribal Dougla was the boogie/ballet combination of
Return. First performed in 1999 this suite of dances is cued to recordings by soul masters James Brown and Aretha Franklin to good effect. More individual dances give the performers the chance to display their skills in a manner that draws a stark contrast to other contemporary ballets, fusing other styles of dance, creating a very intimate feel and something thats individual yet identifiable.

The final suite is the ballet staple Firebird performed with DTH own special take to magical effect. Eye-poppingly vibrant tropical jungle settings, magical costumes all enhance choreographer John Taras' version of the classic Russian fairy tale. Perhaps more "traditional" in its deliverance than from the previous suites watched this evening, it is punctuated with DTH own colour and dynamics that adds an extra dimension. It is certainly the highlight of the evening, and when it ends to raptures applause, I find myself wishing there was more.

Perhaps another night, another suite of dances.

12 Apr 2004 13:05 | (0) comments | Art/Theatre | London

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