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The Owen/Cox Dance Group began the 2011–12 season Saturday night at a new location and in the company of a new group of musicians. Collaborating with Park University’s International Center for Music, Owen/Cox debuted at the Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel tucked into the university’s quaint Parkville campus. A perfect setting for Halloween weekend, the chapel was slightly dark and ominously old. The lofty arched ceiling and stained-glass windows provided great scenery for the new partnership’s performance. Attendees sat in pews either on ground level or in choir risers, comfortably dispersed throughout.

The evening highlighted instrumental compositions from six composers, played by the Center’s musicians, three of which incorporated choreography from Jennifer Owen. Violinist Magdaléna Mašlaňová played a beautiful interpretation of three movements from Bach’s Partita No. 3 in E Major. She stood in a downstage corner, playing for both the audience and the five female dancers. The choreography of the first movement did not harmonize well with the strings, but once Lisa Thorn began the second movement, breathing in new life to the piece, everything seemed to fall into place. Laura Jones shined with her voluminous gestures and abounding charisma. In juxtaposition, Rose Taylor moved timidly, rarely making eye contact with the congregation. The third movement, “Giga,” was brisk, light, and brief, but favorable.

Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110 also was by far the most interesting of the night, mostly because it was so dissimilar to what Owen usually presents. Largo introduced the somber tone and modern foundation, featuring an abundance of both sweeping and protruding arm movement that was accented by the red sleeves of the otherwise all black costumes. The remainder of the quartet was frantically fast and very staccato, which created a slight anxiety for each observer who wondered if the dancers and musicians would make it or not. The group sections were well synchronized but Thorn and newcomer Jamal Story stood out for their controlled execution of the harsh and chaotic style.

The last collaborative work again was a set of three movements, this time from Igor Stravinsky’s classic Pétrouchka. Despite the familiar music, Owen’s choreography had a modern theme with some narrative twists. Set in a commonplace office, Pétrouchka is head-over-heels for the administrative assistant who much to his despair is smitten by her boss. Latra Wilson, the assistant and a fine tease, initially toyed with Pétrouchka’s emotions before abandoning him for Nathan Bland. Wilson was much more convincing than Bland who appeared tense and a bit shaky. Story embodied poor, innocent Pétrouchka; he balanced emotion with technique while executing both at a superior level. The remainder of the company danced pleasingly in the background.

The other three works in the joint program were aurally stimulating, especially with the chapel’s acoustic setting. At most dance performances with live music, one rarely gets to see the musicians who are often stuffed away in a cramped orchestra pit. It was eye-opening to see how much they move and emote when given the spotlight.

In Pezzo capriccioso in E minor, Op. 62, pianist Lolita Lisovskya-Sayevich and cellist Sunnat Ibragimov had a great connection. Although they were both sitting, it was evident how alive they were and how the notes they played reverberated throughout every part of their bodies. Influenced by his friend Nikolay Kondratyev’s serious illness, Pezzo capriccioso strayed away from some of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s more well-known themes and embodied a somber, methodical temperament with a few sudden, upbeat phrases.

Violinist Maria Ioudenitch took the foreground in Aram Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto in D minor. Accompanied by Lisovskya-Sayevich on the piano, the two musicians were less in sync and the Allegro Vivace, though upbeat, was a bit repetitive and long winded.

The last instrumental selection was the most well-known excerpt of the evening from Pablo de Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy. Lisovskya-Sayevich, who had a busy night, was joined by Cristian Fatu on the violin. The couple displayed perfect timing, exhibiting the story’s passion and emphasizing the sharp accents in comparison to the smoother, sultry sections.

The majority of Park’s musicians gave memorable performances and have impressive bios, making it apparent how distinguished the university’s music program is both nationally and internationally. Owen/Cox Dance Group has become known for their quirky, unique style, which always makes for a pleasing array. This program in particular was less stereotypical for Owen and more exciting because she pushed her creative envelope in the Shostakovich work. If she can continue on this path, Kansas City will be lucky to see some more great works from her to come, hopefully in alliance with Park’s International Center for Music or other similarly skilled artisans.

REVIEW
Owen/Cox Dance Group
Park University’s International Center for Music
Collaborative Concert
Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel, Park University Campus
8700 NW River Park Dr., Parkville, MO
For more information, visit http://www.owencoxdance.org/ and http://www.park.edu/icm/

Top Photo: Lisa Thorn, Rose Taylor, Latra Wilson, Laura Jones, and Jennifer Owen (Photo by Charles Stonewall)

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.