Sensitive to their historical legacies, two of Utah’s greatest dance institutions opened their new seasons with respective themes of reverberation and migrations, as well as new artistic director leadership at the helms of both companies.
RIRIE-WOODBURY DANCE COMPANY: REVERBERATION
As noted in a preview at The Utah Review, Leslie Kraus became the company’s fourth artistic director, just ahead of Ririe-Woodbury’s 62nd season. And, audiences were given an impressive introduction to her sensitive appreciation of the company”s legacy and the gifts of the current group of six dancers in the world premiere of Listening Hour.
In an earlier interview, Kraus said the work’s genesis was her earnest efforts to not only observe the dancers’ mastery of their movement language and vocabulary but also listen to their voices and gather insights about their personalities. As this reviewer regularly sees how the company’s dancers have performed in many settings, it was mesmerizing to observe just how extensively Kraus has already begun to appreciate and comprehend the holistic personae of these dancers.
It also was a lesson of adaptability rendered with elegant context. One of the dancers (Luke Dakota-Zender) was recovering from an injury so the work became an opportunity to show that even when boundaries of movement and physicality are temporarily constrained, the group’s unity and cogency are not compromised but, in fact, strengthened by the consensus of adaptability. As with the two other works on the program, the dancers displayed precisely the same intimate chemistry that has been a particular hallmark of this company ever since in-person performances resumed following the pandemic shutdown several years ago.
The show opened with another premiere, just as striking for its ensemble chemistry: Glitter by Flock’s principals Florian Lochner and Alice Klock. It was an elucidating choreographic study of group dynamics. Specifically, what happens when tensions and stresses are amplified by the commanding presence of a colorful, confident, eye-catching creative member where other members might be concerned that their own chance at brilliance and visibility could be eclipsed. The arts thrive on novelty but they also are tempted by certainties of familiarity and stability to anchor their relevance and support. Along with solo moments by Cody Brunelle-Potter, Sasha Rydlizky and Megan McCarthy, the five dancers (including Fausto Rivera and Miche’ Smith) reminded us that we should never try to stifle the unicorns, mavericks and misfits to satisfy the mainstream, but to instead champion the glitter that leads to unforgettable magic.
With the recent passing of Shirley Ririe, this is the first time that the company is without either of its cofounders (Joan Woodbury passed away two years ago), the reprise of Keith Johnson’s eight-minute duet from 2024, A Century, A Day, became especially emotional as an elegiac choreographic tribute. Johnson was inspired by the relationships and windows of opportunities that he experienced when he danced with the company from 1986 to 1994. On closing night, Rivera and Rydlizky took the historical significance of the moment to heart in rendering bittersweet, fond, unconditionally loving and deeply admiring sentiments, beautifully accompanied by Johnson’s choice of music, the Air movement from Takashi Yoshimatsu’s Kamui-Chikap Symphony.
REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE: MIGRATIONS
Migrations, the evening-length opener for RDT’s 60th anniversary season, was perfect to set the tone for the milestone celebration. The company has a new pair of artistic/executive directors: Nicholas Cendese and Lynne Larson. Linda C. Smith, one of the cofounders, has retired as emerita director.
As for the featured work, it was an opportunity to celebrate an artistic relationship of more than three decades with internationally acclaimed choreographer Zvi Gotheiner, who has ten works now represented in RDT’s monumental catalog of dances. Indeed, relationship is an insufficient term to describe the dynamism of this creative engagement. Gotheiner’s home base has been ZviDance in New York City but it is instantaneously evident that he has considered the RDT studio like a second home just as welcoming, in working with the dancers and staff.
The closing night performance of Migrations proved just how fully immersed and resonant the eight dancers became with Gotheiner and his vision for Migrations. As noted in the preview at The Utah Review, Migrations feels like a synthesis of other works by Gotheiner that grace RDT’s historic catalog. Building upon the unique migratory patterns of birds, Gotheiner contemplates how nature defies the constraining impacts of artificial borders as humans have imposed. The nature of migration has always been voluntary and instinctual even for humans in their journey to make life satisfying and comfortable for themselves and their loved ones. Unfortunately, migrations also have been forced upon individuals for numerous reasons: environmental degradation and impacts of climate transitions, wars and genocides, economic collapse, political crises, famine, natural disasters and devastation of their homes.
Propelled by a phenomenal musical score by Scott Killian, a long-time collaborator with Gotheiner, the work blossomed beyond the realm of abstract symbolism, often taking on theatrical sensations that were as gripping in their individual portrayals as well as the technical movement harmonization in the ensemble. Just one of many examples to highlight this effect was Caleb Daly’s solo, which epitomized Gotheiner’s thematic intentions with glistening clarity. The Migrations performance easily matched up to RDT’s performances of Dabke in previous years, another Gotheiner work, which always seem to resonate naturally and magically for the dancers on stage.
Photo: Sharon Kain.
It was plainly evident the immense respect and connection that the eight RDT dancers have for Gotheiner. Their studio interactions were warm and personable and dancers were already missing his presence when he left Salt Lake City the morning after the opening night performance. In fact, the stamina and precision on closing night were electrifying, demonstrating these dancers were determined to give their total respect to a choreographer they truly love.