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AUDIENCE REVIEW: Hanna Q Dance Company presents "Perseus & Andromeda"

Company:
Hanna Q Dance Company

Performance Date:
September 25, 2021

Have you ever seen this company/ before?
Tell us a bit about your history with this group/performer?

I have watched Hanna Q Dance company closely over the past several years, and have been thrilled to observe the development of the company under the direction and choreography of Johanna LjungQvist-Brinson.  She has grown as a choreographer in both the complexity and expression of her dances, and the ability to use the talents of her increasingly accomplished dancers.  Johanna has responded to the COVID crisis and lockdown with rare creativity, in that she has staged 6 performances, 3 each in 2020 and 2021 on her "stage in the woods" in Dingmans Ferry, PA, a short 90 minutes from NYC.  The unusual and evocative setting has fostered some of the most creative and moving performances I have ever seen, and Perseus and Andromeda was the best so far.  The dance was performed by Spencer Everett as Perseus, Taylor Kindred as Cetus the Sea Monster, Sophia Michitson as Andromeda and Kristina Bermudez and Lexi Sim as the Sea Nymphs, with narration of story (written by Veronica Coyne) by Belle Pepper.

What was your favorite moment(s)? What inspired you?

The choreography took full advantage of the dancers athleticism and grace, with an exciting range of dramatic engagements, exquisite solos and complex and stunning ensemble work.   The dancer's abilities were used to great effect, from the strong but delicate and classical technique of Andromeda, the imposing strength and force of Cetus, and the precise, agile, expressive and passionate Perseus.

Describe any or all of these elements: music, lighting, the venue.
How did they contribute (or not) to your enjoyment of this performance?

The setting, in a stage set in the middle of the woods, with a shear cliff backdrop, enhanced the sense of the raw emotion and passion in the story line.  The performance space extends into the woods, adding an intriguing, organic quality to the staging. The dancers seemed to feed off the natural energy and beauty of the setting, merging with the environs, and intensifying the emotional intensity of the performance.

Would you like to see this performance / company again?
Would you recommend it to a friend? Why or why not?

I look forward eagerly to every Hanna Q performance.  There's simply nothing like seeing these dances performed in this environment.  It is magical.

Author:
Kathleen A Lyon

Photo Credit:
Ray Yaros