|
|
|
Richard Daniels: This Night
By Lisa Jo Sagolla
A warm, imposing presence, Richard Daniels is a large, heavily muscled man, attractive in a classically proportioned yet hearty, non-aristocratic way. He has been living with AIDS for 20 years and treasures his return to dancing as a vital component of his wellness program.
Two inspiring solos bookended ''This Night'', Daniels's program of dances, presented at the Connelly Theater. ''Cinder'', choreographed for Daniels in 1999 by Zvi Gotheiner, capitalizes on the dancer's affinity for long, linear movements and his extraordinary sense of flow. As the piece progresses, the dancer becomes plagued by buzzing, humming, and droning tones, which he either tries to shut out or catches and uses as momentum. But the dance ends too soon. An intriguing dramatic conflict between the dancer and these mysterious sounds is evoked, yet never resolved.
''Bonus Round'', a U.S. premiere choreographed by Daniels, comprises four different episodes representing his experiences living with HIV. A swoopy sequence, done with the aid of a long, swirly skirt, suggests an ironic, queenish take on the natural movement impulses of the early modern dance pioneers. A segment danced to metaphoric text about sky panels grows tedious. But the work's final portions click, as Daniels, costumed like a medieval knight, becomes a warrior fighting for his life with a winning combination of grace and strength.
The evening's centerpiece was the premiere of Daniels's ''Wee Hours'', a suite of dances inspired by dreams and nightmares, performed by a distinguished cast of contemporary dance ''celebrities''. Kate Johnson and Keith Sabado worked exquisitely together in a ''vertical'' interpretation of the intertwined rolling and resting positions of a sleeping couple. Regina Larkin gave expressive interpretation to a difficult solo that kept changing its mind choreographically, with abrupt changes of direction, level, and weight placement. Sabado delighted us in a playful, fantasy-driven solo, while Mimi Quillin offered a stunning dramatic portrayal of a disturbed woman. This roster of ''stars'' (which also included Dusan Týnek, Roberta Cooper, and Eileen Thomas) coming together to lend their talents to ''Wee Hours'' must be viewed as indisputable evidence of Daniels's remarkable ability to move people.
|
