Audience Reviews >

AUDIENCE REVIEW: Doug Elkins & Friends

Company:
Doug Elkins & Friends

Performance Date:
Aug 16, 2008

Photo © Christopher Roesing

Company
Doug Elkins & Friends

Show / Event Name
Fräulein Maria

Performance Date
Aug 16, 2008

Venue / Location
Lincoln Center/ Damrosch Park

Your Occupation:
Choreographer/dance educator

Last time you moved your body:
Yesterday

Have you ever seen this company/ before?
Tell us a bit about your history with this group/performer?
I have not seen Doug Elkins' work before so this is the first time I'm seeing his work.

Why did you go to the show? What did you expect to see?
Free performances at Lincoln center. I didn't know what to expect from Elkins but I did expect high calibre dancing from the Lincoln Center Out of Doors programming.

What was your favorite moment(s)? What inspired you?
I really loved the "nuns" dance. All 12 dancers were lined up in a diagonal and one at a time would do a little solo that was step dance inspired. After that, the movement became infused with step dance and hip hop references that almost seemed to pay homage to the Step Afrika! performance prior.

Describe as plainly and as specifically as you can what you actually saw. We are going for description without judgement.
There is no need for complete sentences, phrases and word lists are fine. You can describe these elements or anything you can think of: the artists, the kinds of movement, the qualities of the movement, the use of the stage/space, the musicality/timing...
Audience interaction.
Gestural.
Narrative.
Impersonations.
Ballet, Classical modern, Postmodern, Hip Hop.
Upbeat.
Circular.
Seamless postmodern floorwork.
Symmetrical formations
Seamless transitions.
All smiles.
Light and airy movement in certain sections like "The hills are alive..."

Do any images, colors or feelings pop into your head when you think about this show?
"awkward, nerdy, ham" - one character in dark glasses would keep coming back in between dances
Sexual undertones
Matador duet.
Superior vs. inferior.

Describe any or all of these elements: music, lighting, the venue. - How did they contribute (or not) to your enjoyment of this performance?
The costumes were simple but effective. The nun costumes were black gaucho pants and black hoodie tops. The three Maria dresses were simple light blue tops & light blue skirts with a white apron.
The props were cleverly designed as well. A stand up bed, a bell, sewing machine, etc.

Would you like to see this performance / company again? Would you recommend it to a friend?
Why or why not?
I would definitely see it again because I was enthralled by the interweaving of different movement styles.

What would you like to have seen more of? Less of?
I would like to see less symmetrical/unison sections.

If you could, what would you ask the choreographer / dancers?
What do you look for in a dancer when casting for this piece?