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By Theo Boguszewski
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Published on November 25, 2012
IMPRESSIONS: Jessica Gaynor Dance
Hero
Presented by: Triskelion Arts Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Cast: Emily Diers, Kyle Gerry, Jake Laub, Jordan Risdon, Julia Sabangan, Kristi Tornga
November 15th-18th, 2012
November 26, 2012
Theodora Boguszewski for The Dance Enthusiast
Last weekend’s world premiere of the evening-length Hero marks the seventh year in a row that Triskelion Arts has produced Jessica Gaynor’s work. Hero features an original, driving score by Devin Maxwell and sleek costumes by Renee Kurz. The piece explores the ideology of heroism and its manifestations, which are represented by Gaynor’s six dancers.
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| Hero; Choreography by Jessica Gaynor; Photos RockPaper |
The most prominent characteristic of Gaynor’s work is an intense physicality: straight lines, flying leaps, powerful unisons, and lots and lots of running. Her technically adept dancers stand up to the physical challenges impressively and despite the difficulty of the movement, no one ever seems to fatigue.
Gaynor is extremely adept at creating patterns with moving bodies, and knows how to direct the focus of an audience. The use of clean, recognizable formations that change often enough to hold our attention, mesmerize us.
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| Hero; Choreography by Jessica Gaynor; Photos RockPaper |
Towards the end of Heroes we witness a series of lively solos that showcase the virtuosity of the individual dancers and distinguish their representations of heroism. One particularly captivating moment is the solo performed by Jake Laub. Laub, accompanied by rapid drumming, skitters around on his hands and feet with the suppleness of a cat. I am impressed not only with the tightly knit and well-rehearsed unisons, but also with each dancer’s unique interpretation of Gaynor's movement.
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| Hero; Choreography by Jessica Gaynor; Photos RockPaper |
Hero is a well-constructed dance filled with virtuosity and visual pleasure. The piece will be particularly impressive to new dance audiences. For those of us who are seasoned concert dance goers, it feels as if the concept is superimposed on the work rather than deeply investigated. I would have liked to see more of a break down of the intricacies heroism: it is a topic that holds much depth and potential for exploration.
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| Hero; Choreography by Jessica Gaynor; Photos RockPaper |
