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Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company celebrated twenty years last weekend in a “Best of the Best” concert at UMKC’s White Recital Hall, where it is the Artist-in-Residence. Commemorating the company’s success and talent was an intimate crowd of devoted fans, family and friends. The program consisted of eight works and represented a diverse collection of choreographers and dance styles.

Starting off the show on a good note was Assistant Director Paula Weber’s Blue. The piece began in silence and darkness with the dancers gradually beginning to dance as the lights slowly brightened and the first notes of Beethoven’s breathtaking composition began to resonate throughout the quiet theatre. As always, Weber’s classically-based choreography was organic and engaging throughout.

Coherence in the group sections was disappointing, but the three duets produced several refined moments. Erik Sobbe and newcomer Ashia Myers displayed controlled grace; Brittany Duskin and Michael Tomlinson moved very similarly with commitment and excitement; and DeeAnna Hiett and Gavin Stewart proved a strong partnership with the ability to cover the stage. The simple, elegant costumes designed by Weber and constructed by Laura Powell, brought all of the elements together.

Switching gears, Hiett joined three tall, commanding men in her work Passage. The tribal-themed act combined modern dance with African-inspired movement. The dancers exhibited lots of energy but clumsy execution.

Sobbe and Tomlinson reprised Ladder Time, which was a focal piece of the company’s “On the Edge” performance last season. Moving on, under and around a very stably constructed ladder, the two men demonstrated great strength, balance, and flexibility as they perfectly positioned themselves to construct picture-worthy moments.

Artistic Director Mary Pat Henry dedicated her first work of the night, Esperando Nin Silencio, to the Argentinian mothers who silently lamented as their families were torn apart and brutally destroyed. The five women tragically relived the event, moving with passion and desperation.

The longest piece was Sean Curran’s Symbolic Logic II, which began with dancers rigidly poised center stage conducting a series of arm movements to Sheila Chandra’s hypnotizing chants. Curran’s innovative choreography had a modern base, integrated with several types of stylistic folk dancing. Again, there was a lack of harmony among the company and the energy throughout the piece was frustratingly inconsistent. Myers’ showed off in a humble spotlight solo as the rest of the dancers paced in the dimly lit background. Duskin also stood out, especially in her quartet with three men. The dancers finally came together in the last section, successfully gaining momentum and executing Curran’s eccentricities which complimented the accents in Chandra’s Speaking in Tongues.

Anna Sokolow’s Session For Six was broken into two distinct sections. The first was slow and stagnant, with the dancers appearing unnatural and off-balance. The second half was lighter and carefree with more quirky choreography. The costumes were strikingly similar to Piet Mondrian’s painting, “Broadway Boogie Woogie,” which was Sokolow’s inspiration. However, the work was too repetitive making it easy to lose interest.

Robert Battle’s riveting work Unfold featured Hiett and Nijawwon Matthews. The pair carelessly threw themselves onto each other and the floor, thrashing backwards and slowly giving in. Battle, who will succeed Judith Jamison in July 2011 as the artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, created a powerful vision combining agitated, passionate choreography with the calm, controlled excerpt from Gustave Charpentier’s “Depuis Le Jour” from his opera Louise.

The last selection of the evening, Ferment, was commissioned by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in honor of Roxy Paine’s sculpture by the same name. Mary Pat Henry did a remarkable job transforming the visual art into a performing art through lighting, costumes, projection, music, and, of course, dancing. The nine dancers created long lines and novel pictures that mirrored the sculpture, twice in whole and other times in part. Though all the artists performed well, the men captured the attention with their bounding leaps and beautiful strength.

Several of the selections outshone the rest, but in the end the audience was left with great memories of the past and much to look forward to in the future of the company.

REVIEW
Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company
Best of the Best: 20th Anniversary Concert
Friday, May 13, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011 (Reviewed)
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
For more information visit http://wylliams-henry.org 

Top Photo: Roxy Paine's Ferment sculpture in the Kansas City Sculpture Park (Photo courtesy of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art)

By Laura Vernaci

Dance Contributor

Laura Vernaci is a Kansas City native who has always been passionate about the arts, particularly dance. She began dance lessons at the young age of five and hasn't stopped since. She trained at the Kansas City Ballet where she became a serious dancer and learned about a professional company. 

She attended Butler University in Indianapolis, IN where she majored in dance. She transferred to Truman State University in Kirksville, MO in 2006 and received a degree in Journalism in May 2008.  Laura spent the 2008-2009 in Duluth, MN dancing professionally for the Minnesota Ballet. She performed in productions such as, "The Nutcracker," "Cinderella" and "Coppelia" as well as world premier ballets created on the company.

She recently moved back to Kansas City and is excited to combine her experience in writing with her passion for dance. In addition to performing and writing, Laura also enjoys teaching dance and choreographing.