Dance Review: In-Sight Dance Company’s World Premiere Performance

Founded in 2008 as a non-profit, In-Sight Dance Company is bringing vibrant original dance to Queens, NY.  This world premiere performance marks In-Sight’s first public engagement.  Hats off to In-sight for developing such a solid company infrastructure and mission in its first year of existence.  Not only does the company focus on creating a nourishing creative environment for emerging dancers, they are also engaged in service activities in the community to create a positive environment inside and outside of the studio.

This first performance is an exploration of physical movement and passion, while the music of local artists creates a journey of fresh discovery from quirky pop, to acoustic ballads and ethereal medieval melodies.  The ten original works celebrate life with breadth and clarity.  Nine pieces are choreographed by In-Sight’s founders Leeanne M. G-Bowley and Donna Manganello, while a tenth piece is choreographed and performed by company member Amanda Keller and guest artist Valentina Savelyeva.

Honest is the adjective that repeatedly ran through my mind as I watched In-Sight’s world premier.   Although at times the dancing is not technically perfect, the emotion with which the dancers move is perfectly honest.  In-Sight’s dancers have different levels of technical skill and experience and it is refreshing to watch emerging dancers work next to seasoned veterans.

Diversity is another theme that is consistent with the company’s dancers.  The company is a great mix of different gender, generation, cultural background, race, social class, sexuality and background of experiences - which is inspiring to see.

The program, impressively, is made up of ten original works, my favorites being Like Love, Afterglow, and Faeries Awake.  Like Love was a duet by Yana Velinova and Hsing-Hua Wang who are dancers that have explored their bodies and are able to masterfully execute fluidity in their movements.  Yana has a wonderful mix of strength and flexibility while Shing-Hua moves with jaw-dropping liquidity.  Shing-Hua is lost in her dancing; her facial expressions and timing of movement seem to be innate and ingrained.

Afterglow is a delightful trio work danced by Amanda Keller, Cody Potter, and Lina Kent.  Lina Kent dances with a youthful joy that pulls the viewer to watcher her.  Her facial expressions are relaxed and she looks as if she is having fun with the work.  Cody Potter is able to convey a range of emotions in his dancing.  He travels from simple happiness to focused seriousness without ever seeming contrived.   Amanda Keller too is a lovely part of this trio.  She has strong technique and her movements are executed with intent and passion.  The three dancers play well off of each other, really moving as one piece and not three separate dancers.

 
Faeries Awake is an eye-catching piece because of the rich colors of the costumes that reminded me of dyed Easter eggs.  This piece uses six dancers which really exemplifies the different levels of experience in the company.  Ranging from seasoned dancer, Hshing-Hua Wang, to apprentice, Anna Wueller, this piece best embodies the honesty I speak of earlier.   Even with the varied levels of technique, the dancers work very well together to make the piece come alive.  Faeries Awake uses lots of groundwork as well, flowing across the floor like waves of movement complementing the rhythmic phrasing of the music.

Stranded Together is a fun piece choreographed by On-the-Go Dance Project, a company founded by Amanda Keller and guest artist Valentina Savelyeva.  What I liked most about this piece is the mix of music which ranged from hip-hop to radio static.  The choreography is at times sharp and forceful and, at other times, whimsical and full of play.  The dancers have a lot of contact with each other which keeps the viewer engaged.  The movement by dancers Valentina Savelyeva and Amanda Keller is quick, clean and always on target.

A big congratulation is due to all involved in the creation of this dance company and world premier.  The founders have done an amazing job creating a dance company and 9 new works in such a short time with the dancers being a pleasure to watch.  This company seems to be a supportive platform for emerging artists to practice their craft, and that is something every art form needs.

In-Sight Dance Company photos courtesy of Nathan Ashker

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Danielle Seidita 
Performance:  In-Sight Dance Company, On-the-Go Dance Project (Special Guests)
Choreography:  Leeanne M. G-Bowley, Donna Manganello, Amanda Keller, Valentina Savelyeva
Venue: GreenSpace Performance Venue, Queens, NY
Performance Date:  Friday, May 29, 2009, 8:00pm
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