Dancers, choreographers, artistic directors and fans packed the Perelman Theater for the LiveArts Lucinda Childs DANCE, a multimedia reconstruction of her sensational opus from 1979, scored to the whirling-dervish electronia of Philip Glass, who was also in attendance for this event.
Sol LeWitt’s film of Childs’ original production from 1979 is projected on a proscenium scrim, with the dancers in life size or big screen images. The current troupe virtually gets to dance with the previous company. Childs choreographs dancers in perpetual chasse and builds from lateral jumps, reverse turns and skip steps that break to roundelay. The choreography is draughtsman like, playing with perspective- horizontal, vertical, diagonal and (through film) top view.
Together, the relentlessness of the choreography, Glass’s dizzying score, the phantom dancers, either breaks you or hypnotizes. For those who resist it could induce vertigo or worse, boredom. but for those who go under the spell, it is trippy. It strips the mind of linear thought like successful meditation.
Love the concept or not, the dancers are amazing. Their skill, stamina and elan from start to finish is remarkable. This audience definitely was keyed into that. Lucinda, who dance in the original, joined them onstage for a bow to the lusty ovation.
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