Dance Review: Bill T. Jones, A Chapel/Chapter of Fabulous

It was another rainy night, and I was on my way to see Bill T.'s Chapel/Chapter, up in Harlem.... I mean really?  Harlem come on.... in the rain..... What is it with me, modern dance and rain?  Its fine.  I made it there and back unscathed, better than unscathed, elated.  It was a unique (and I mean good unique, not trying to be polite unique) intricate, theatrical, and totally mind blowing experience, with live musicians, scripted scenes, and dancing even!  I left the theatre compelled to make art and inspired to go beyond what I thought was possible.  The 70 minute, intermission-less piece danced outside, ironically enough, the proverbial box and made sure I was to never underestimate the possibilities of art and even life itself!  Whoa.... that was a mouthful, but that's how I felt!

So here is the down and dirty; Harlem Gatehouse is a theatre in the round and as one walks in to the theatre, the dancers of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company are divided into two groups. The first group is wandering around this taped out performance area dressed in orange jumpsuits with their eyes closed.  The other group is standing on the periphery making sure the first group doesn't go outside the lines of the "stage" and redirecting them into the space.  Totally cool!   At first I sit there wondering if I could do it without peeking, then I get totally wrapped up, and before you know it I am actually crying.  Watching all these dancers wander around, I related to feeling lost and spending so much of my life blindly wandering around, wondering who I am, where am I going, and is someone ever going to point me in the right direction.  It is really quite profound.  I'll never forget it.

The opening concludes with the voice of a single singer standing opposite of where I am in the house, and all the dancers are eerily beaconed to her and then, all disappear off stage.  I'm ready for something great and I am not disappointed!  The dancers re-enter, some of them announcing themselves as their characters others taking their seats in the sidelines ready to dance at any moment.

A story begins to unfold, and then another story on top of that, then one more narrative finds it way to the surface.  Yes, I'm in love with these amazing dancers and this amazing choreo!

Three stories overlap throughout the course of the evening. Each story has a narrator explaining the course of events, while the dancers dance out the events. 

Beautifully told and fiercely performed!  I couldn't get over it!  The first of the three stories is a duet of a boy who is asked to go down to the river with his camping buddy and what happens there is left for the viewer to imagine until the end of the evening when you find out its chilling conclusion. The second story is of a family and how there are murdered, told from the point of view of the calculating murderer himself. The third is of an unraveling father unable to handle the complications of dealing with a troubled child. The stories weave in and out of one another, and with each retelling, you find out just a little bit more of what happened and why, until the stage is filled with the entire company under the spell of the music and the atmosphere as they languorously, move through the space . . . this time, fully aware of one another in opposition to the opening of the evening. 

This piece is a must see.  I can't say I understood everything about it, but I certainly would love to see it again and find out more about what it is I didn't understand.  The Bill T Jones company has something to offer for everyone.  The dancers are FLAWLESS, the choreo is interesting and quirky, but lyrical and cohesive.  It is a beautifully sculpted piece of work and I can't wait to see more of the Bill T rep in the future!
 
Photos © Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Dante Puleio
Performance: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Venue:  Harlem Stage Gatehouse, New York City
Date:  June, 14, 2009
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