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AUDIENCE REVIEW: Buglisi Dance Theatre: Leaping in...30th Anniversary at Chelsea Factory

Company:
Buglisi Dance Theatre

Performance Date:
February 29, 2024

Freeform Review:

      For what reason does one attend a dance concert? Is the draw the opportunity to witness technical virtuosity coupled with gravity defying athleticism or the desire to peer at a masterpiece in motion, the physical manifestation of the golden ratio of Divine proportion? Is it the quest to be the first to see the latest trend in contemporary dance? Or, is it the desire to feel the depth of one’s emotional reservoir? Is the experience of transcending the limits of space and time to exist in a realm of ephemeral beauty the motivating factor??? The members of Buglisi Dance Theatre’s audience didn’t have to make a choice during the sold-out performances at Chelsea Factory (February 29-March 2, 2024) as Jacqulyn Buglisi and the extraordinary artists of Buglisi Dance Theatre delivered all the above, and more... With a stellar multi-generational, multicultural company of 14 dancers, including BDT co-founders Terese Capucilli and Christine Dakin, international icons of dance, and acclaimed Guest Artists PeiJu Chien-Pott, Elisa Clark and Chris Bloom, the artistic excellence of these dancers elevated the performances to the very pinnacle of immersive art – brilliantly expressing the choreographic vision of Ms. Buglisi.

      The theme of the Season was “Leaping in…30th Anniversary” – a nod to the Company’s 30th Anniversary and the occurrence of Opening Night on Leap Day. Ms. Buglisi noted in her opening remarks the significance of Leap Day as a day of recentering and recalibrating. Having just received the Martha Hill Mid-Career Award on Monday, February 26th, Ms. Buglisi opened the program by introducing the first two works, “Frida,” to be danced by two of the original cast members – Terese Capucilli and Christine Dakin joined by PeiJu Chien-Pott, and her new work, “A Walk Through Fire” to the music of the Australian band, Dead Can Dance.

      “Frida,” premiered in 1998 and inspired by the life of Frida Kahlo, is a multimedia production synthesizing the riveting dramatic intensity of Ms. Capucilli, Ms. Dakin and Ms. Chien-Pott, with a lush soundscape by Tobias Picker, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Arvo Pärt, and the raspy, sensuous voice of Cynthia Adler. The rapturous melding of dance, music, projection design, and narration immerses the audience into Frida’s inner landscape where secret thoughts and passions are revealed. (As noted in the program, Ms. Buglisi created the dialogue through extensive research of Frida’s letters, diary and writings.) Terese Capucilli, Christine Dakin and PeiJu Chien-Pott demonstrated why they are the very top of the dance world. Their vulnerable portrayal of Frida fulfilled the desire of those who attended the concert to feel the depth of their emotional reservoir. These dancers own the realm of ephemeral beauty.

      The costumes, created by A. Christina Giannini, masterfully enhanced the performance incorporating symbolism from Frida’s artwork and provided a landscape for the dancers to extend their artistic interpretation – a signature creative element of Ms. Buglisi’s work is the seamless incorporation of costumes as part of the sacred space of the stage. The intricate lattice detail of Ms. Dakin’s gown, symbolic of Frida’s rope paintings, was a piece of art in and of itself. Ms. Capucilli, enrobed in a gown of majestic proportion, moved in and through her costume wielding a layer of her removable skirt - later holding it as a screen for a projection of Frida’s self-portrait. This powerful gesture revealed the union of the artist, Frida and her artwork - no separation existing… Ms. Chien-Pott donned a sleek pantsuit showing yet another dimension of Frida’s personality. As in other costume collaborations between Ms. Buglisi and Ms. Giannini, the costumes provided further dimensions of interpretation and artistry as the dancers explored new terrain of performance space.

      Amidst the global decline in democracy, Ms. Buglisi courageously delivered a warning of the world screaming with rage in her new work, “A Walk Through Fire.” Ms. Buglisi set the stage for this work in her opening remarks, speaking of the tumultuous energy she feels pulsing through her body as she journeys to the dance studio each day. The lighting design of international award-winning artist, Jack Mehler, and projection design of Joey Moro catapults the audience into a post-apocalyptic world of somber darkness, a feeling of the dancers residing in embers as the planet is being burned alive. Costumes by Márion Tálan de la Rosa brought forth images of Coleridge’s infamous “death fires” from his Rime of the Ancient Mariner.  The dance is performed by Isabella Pagano, Jai Perez, Zachary Jeppsen, Ane Arrieta, Lauryn Rickman, and Aoi Sato. Their hunger and passion for the cause of environmental justice seeps through every pore. The drum beat of the score grounds the dancers and seems to reconnect them to ancestral voices whose survival depended on their connection to the natural world. For audience members seeking to be the first to witness an innovative new movement vocabulary, “A Walk Through Fire” fulfilled this desire.

      After this deeply spiritual journey, the audience was ready for the delightful and witty performance of Buglisi’s 2007 hit “Caravaggio Meets Hopper.” Elisa Clark and Chris Bloom gave sensational performances as Guest Artists joining BDT’s extraordinary company members - Jessica Sgambelluri, Aoi Sato, Isabella Pagano, Jai Perez, Zachary Jeppsen, Ane Arrieta, Kate Reyes, Esteban Santamaria, Sierra Christine Sanders, Rayan Lecurieux-Durival, Lauryn Rickman and Grace Sautter. A study in contrasts, the performance especially appealed to those who attended the concert seeking the chance to view a masterpiece in motion - quite literally, as scenes from Hopper’s famous paintings such as “Automat” appeared. The exquisite lines of the dancers embodied the Divine proportion often only seen in paintings. Lighting design by Jack Mehler created an environment where the world of Hopper intersected the world of Caravaggio.

      Aside from giving her audience a coup d’oeil, or a “glance that gives a comprehensive view” of the sacred realm of human potential, perhaps Ms. Buglisi’s greatest accomplishment is the ripple effect she creates on the individual who feels transformed through experiencing her work – breathing in and assimilating the energy of Ms. Buglisi, her dancers and the creative team who believe in her vision. This invites the individual to transcend the limitations of the human condition for a moment in time.  Thus, if transformation is possible on an individual level, one can take the leap of faith that it is also possible on a global level… What a message of hope for her audience on Leap Day! Not many souls have the courage to dream or dare at the capacity Ms. Buglisi does… At this crucial time for the survival of our planet, Ms. Buglisi’s leap of faith is her artistic vision and its ability to mend our broken world. She is a light in the darkness persistently reminding us - “one step at a time… peace.”

Author:
Christina Cardosi

Website:
buglisidance.org

Photo Credit:
Frida, Dancers (l to r) Christine Dakin, PeiJu Chien-Pott, Terese Capucilli, Photo by Kristin Lodoen 2/29/24