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April 11, 2003
The Pleasant State of Being Half Awake
By Jack Anderson
Dancers set forth on nocturnal journeys in ''Richard Daniels: This Night'', a program on April 2 at the Connelly Theater.
Mr. Daniels choreographed his new ''Wee Hours'' to piano nocturnes by nine composers, all sensitively played by Nurit Tilles. The oldest piece was composed in 1886 by Paderewski; the most recent, from 2001, was by Fred Hersch. They prompted Mr. Daniels to create moody little solos and duets for Dusan Týnek, Kate Johnson, Keith Sabado, Regina Larkin, Roberta Cooper, Eileen Thomas, and Mimi Quillin. Two duets were especially good: one in which Ms. Johnson and Mr. Sabado looked like happy sleepy lovers, and one of quietly mounting passion for Ms. Cooper and Ms. Thomas.
Mr. Daniels also offered two solos. He based his new ''Bonus Round'' on his experiences with living with HIV. Yet, it was not literally autobiographical. Instead, it was filled with meditative wanderings to virtuoso piano music by Moriz Rosenthal and an introspective score by Paula M. Kimper, both played by Ms. Tilles. A taped text by Aaron Shurin was filled with evocative descriptions of the sky. It also included a list of medications. Mr. Shurin's final words were ''Don't fall.'' And, Mr. Daniels appeared to be a survivor.
He also danced ''Cinder'', a wispy solo choreographed in 1999 by Zvi Gotheiner to rercorded music by David Hykes.
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