WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance‘s international cast blazed onto the stage of Hanesbrands Theatre July 18 with all the energy of a house on fire.
Artistic Director and UNC School of the Arts alumna Heather Maloy chose to change the order of the program, starting with “Run Ragged,” because, she said with a laugh, “That’s what my life is like right now.”
Dedicated in the playbill to “hard working women everywhere,” the piece started with one funny and frenzied dancer, Betsy Ann Lucas, on stage. Lucas, a dancer with great technical and comedic skills, was joined by a chorus of four masculine dancers in business trousers, white shirts, and ties. The quartet interacted kinetically with Lucas and with each other, both playfully and fiercely. The businessmen exacted a toll, and Lucas was dancing for her life.
The fast-moving piece, set to the mathematically precise cadences of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, set the tone for all that is to come after it. These artists have timeless and timely tales to tell, and they told them with impeccably trained bodies and ferocious acting chops.
After a brief curtain speech by Maloy and General Manager Michele Bryan, non-binary artist Lelo González performed a solo, “Stayed on Freedom,” especially choreographed for them by Maloy.
Dancing to “Woke Up This Morning (with my mind stayed on freedom),” a freedom song created in 1961 by the Rev. Robert Wesby and based on an old gospel song, González performed with a thrilling blend of power and grace. Wesby sang this song during his incarceration in a Mississippi jail cell during the Freedom Rides of the civil rights movement. The Resistance Revival Chorus’ recording of the song was used here.
Lalo González in “Stayed on Freedom.” Photo credit: Irwin Fayne
González’ en pointe performance honored the song with movement that expresses boundless resolution and optimism. Their bravura leaps and turns were clear and varied, and their series of fouettés toward the end of the piece were dazzling. In other dances on the program, we witnessed their ability to slip seamlessly between masculine and feminine roles.
Besides Maloy’s works, Terpsicorps performs compositions by ballet master Christopher Bandy, and the late master choreographer, Salvatore Aiello. Before founding her own company more than 20 years ago, Maloy danced with the N.C. Dance Theatre under Aiello’s direction. He influenced her work both as a choreographer and as a director, and is the inspiration behind everything Terpsicorps produces, according to the website.
First-year Terpsicorps dancer Azusa Okamoto and third-year dancer Morgan Stillman performed Aiello’s “Satto (Wind Dance)” with vigor and elegance. Representing an encounter between the wind and a leaf, “Satto” put the contrast of the athleticism and delicacy of modern ballet on full display.
Morgan Stillman in “Satto.” Photo credit: Irwin Fayne
Okamoto is an exquisite dancer, both sensual and ethereal. Her lithe body slithered and floated as the “leaf” met the relentless power of the “wind.” Stillman embodied that force of nature as he compelled and supported Okamoto’s airy leaf. Precise partnering was required for this piece, and these two were perfect complements.
Music by Katsutshi Nagasawa and Chip Davis – Japanese drums and flutes – propelled the movement in “Satto.”
Besides “Stayed on Freedom,” the second world premiere in this year’s Terpsicorps concert is “Before the Scream.” Using both comedy and tragedy, “Before the Scream” comprises a series of vignettes that speculate on the inspiration for Edvard Munch’s most famous painting.
The piece added two dancers to the company, bringing the total on stage to 10. Maloy and E. Scott Thompson have costumed the dancers in gorgeous flowing cobalt blue. The scene was set by constantly changing lighting and projections onto a black scrim by Joshua Paul Weckesser. These blended magically with Maloy’s visionary choreography.
The vignettes looked whimsically at first-world problems, such as Okamoto trying to meditate in an increasingly noisy park, as well as more serious issues like gun violence. Some of the scenes used interesting props: silver balloons that appear to be lit from within but really are reflecting sidelights, and a big red balloon.
Jeff Ewing in “Before the Scream.” Photo credit: Irwin Fayne
“Before the Scream” took us on an emotional roller-coaster that was full of good-spirited fun and laughter – until it wasn’t. It’s a powerful, inventive dance that I hope we’ll see again in the coming years.
Maloy brought back an audience favorite for the finale. “Second Line” is a tribute to post-Katrina New Orleans. The Second Line is the parade of dancers that follow the band in a New Orleans jazz funeral procession. The dance showcased Okamoto’s talents in a solo.
Azuka Okomoto in “The Second Line.” Photo credit: Irwin Fayne
Great New Orleans music styles drive this one – from Allen Tousaint, Davell Crawford and Irma Thomas to the Dirty Dozen Band and Wild Magnolias. A set of three enormous umbrellas in the hands of three dancers illustrated the mood of a song that goes, “It rained five days, and the sky turned dark as night.”
This rollicking work celebrates the enduring power of music and community, showcasing the strength and unity that can arise from adversity. It also provided more spectacular partnering, and the daring leaps and turns that we have come to expect from Terpsicorps dancers. The company is handpicked from critically acclaimed companies across the U.S. and abroad during their summer hiatus.
As the lights dimmed and the music faded, the message was clear: Despite the vicissitudes of fortune, the show – and life – will go on.
Terpsicorps has been making art in Western N.C. (they also perform in Asheville) for more than 20 years – and the company seems to get better and more innovative with every passing year. Maloy’s fertile imagination just gets deeper and more free-wheeling over time.
The opening night performance wasn’t perfect – there were a few bobbles here and there. But the program overall is rich with delicious dancing, brilliant concepts, and excellent production values. Terpsicorps’ time here is brief, so see them while you can – today and Saturday, July 19 and 20.
