2012 December — Contemporary Dance Videos

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Garth Fagan – “From Before”

December 31, 2012 at 7:22 am / North American Contemporary

This video shows excerpts from a dance piece called “The Before” choreographed by Garth Fagan. Dancers are from the Garth Fagan Modern Dance Company music is “The Path” by Ralph McDonald. Garth Fagan first caught our attention as the choreographer for the Broadway version of the Lion King. He continues to use the African dance motifs in “The Before”. In “the Before” Fagan has created some fabulous dance motifs by eliminating all external elements from his native Caribbean and African [...]

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Idol

December 17, 2012 at 11:51 pm / North American Contemporary

The pas de deux in this video is called “The Eternal Idol”. It was choreographed by the late American choreographer, dancer and director of his own in company in San Francisco, Michael Smuin. The piece was inspired by a famous Rodin sculpture, and the music is the larghetto for piano, Concerto No2 by Chopin. This is a lovely duet, which brings to life Rodin’s famous sculpture, “the Eternal Idol” in a most gentle and poetic way. This dance gives us [...]

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MONGER

December 16, 2012 at 11:48 pm / Israeli Dance Companies

Here are 3 sections taken from a larger work called “Monger” by Barak Marshall. Marshall was a resident choreographer for the famous Israeli contemporary dance Company, Batshevea Dance Company, directed by Ohad Narin The original piece is much longer and these pieces only give a taste of the choreography. The movement language is an interesting mix of contemporary dance styles such a hip hop, jazz, and Middle Eastern movement, sound and even theatre, Also there is a big influence of [...]

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SANKAI JUKU OFFICIAL movie from “TOBARI”

December 15, 2012 at 10:36 pm / Asian Contemporary

This video shows excerpts from a full-length dance piece called “Tobari” performed by the famous Japanese Butoh dance company, Sankai Juku. The movement is mesmerizing. It is breathtakingly beautiful and so powerful. The moving sculpture is gorgeous and the designs, costumes and dancers give a sense of other worldliness. I have had the opportunity to see this piece live and I was drawn into a space of time that stood still, immersed in such beauty from another place for the [...]

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Chroma – Wayne McGregor

December 14, 2012 at 10:27 pm / European Contemporary

This video shows excerpts from the ballet, Chroma, choreographed by Wayne McGregor, resident choreographer of The Royal Ballet in England. McGregor is considered to be one of the leading cutting edge choreographers in the ballet world today. The dancing is hypnotic in it’s erratic and diverse movement vocabulary. McGregor has pushed his dancers to thier limits by making their bodies move far beyond the “norm” in classical dance. They dance with drive and attack punctuated with moments of beautiful lyricism [...]

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THEATER OF TAIWAN: Moon Water .

December 12, 2012 at 12:30 am / Asian Contemporary

This video shows excerpts from a video production of “Moon Water” choreographed by Lin-Hwai-Min, danced by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. The music for this piece are selections from six suites for cello by J.S. Bach accompanied by the sounds of splashing water made by the dancers. I regret not seeing this dance company perform this piece live when they were in the area I live, but since then have become acquainted with this piece through the video. [...]

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Dance Theater of Harlem Ensemble – Fragments

December 11, 2012 at 10:04 am / North American Contemporary

This contemporary ballet in this video is called “Fragments”, choreographed by Lowell Smith and danced by members of The Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble. The music is by Brent Lewis. I was immediately drawn into this piece by the interesting and clever design of the choreography. I especially enjoy the first trio who dance beautiful bold and harmonious patterns as they enfold and mold around each other in symmetrical and asymetrical harmony. The patterns vary in composition throughout the following [...]

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Amelia La La La Human Steps

December 10, 2012 at 10:49 pm / North American Contemporary

Here is the amazing dance film “Amelia” by Canadian Choreographer Edouard Lock and members from his awesome company, La La La Human Steps. The music is composed by David Lang and lyrics by Lou Reed. The dancers are incredible and to me the choreographed movement pushes the envelope on the contemporary elements of speed, risk, precision and raw energy. And for that it works! The piece is full of dynamic interplay between speed and stillness; the soft muted background against [...]

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Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev – Serenata (Cantata)

December 5, 2012 at 1:25 am / European Contemporary

Here is a duet choreographed by Mauro Bigonzetti and danced by Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev. It is an excerpt from a bigger piece I think from the Reflections program. I don’t know the music or who sings the song. These two dancers are brilliant and they bring such an intense passion to the choreography which is wonderful. I like the contrast of the powerful dancing with the more simple and gentle sound of the music. I feel by juxtaposing [...]

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Dark Matters, Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM

December 3, 2012 at 7:35 pm / North American Contemporary

Dark Matters is choreographed by Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite, and presented here by Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM at Dance House. The music is an original score composed by Owen Belton The montage shows clips from the work, Dark Matters, in which Crystal Pite explores and shows how invisible forces play on the human body and mind. The choreography is extraordinarily complex and fluid and brilliantly clever. It is powerful in drama and raw emotions and is absolutely absorbing in the [...]

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