Bound by Prolifics Dance Company
Prolifics Dance Company held their debut performance, “Bound,” at Urban Yoga in downtown Phoenix. I was excited to see a show in this space because the future of performance for small dance companies lies in cross-pollinating with other cultures, and using affordable spaces for performances.
The show featured 13 pieces, all choreographed by the company’s artistic director, Christopher Biles. The group pieces were the company’s greatest strength. Usually, due to funding and time constraints, solos and small groups make up the majority of dance performances. It was refreshing to see Prolifics’ eight dancers fill up an entire space, weaving in between one another or executing synchronized movements to heavy bass lines.
“Humanity” and the first section of “Falling” were the strongest pieces in the show. In both works, the dancers circulated around the space, developed partnerships with other performers, and integrated seamless lifts. In these pieces, the strength of the ensemble was prevalent. No one stood out as the greater technician or performer, because every person was integrated into the piece based on their personal strengths.
Christopher Biles did not perform in these two pieces. When Biles performed, the group lacked cohesion because he was highlighted as the only male, the movement was more familiar in his body, and he was always strategically placed front and center. Separating himself from the performance space allowed his talent for observing and creating a fluid atmosphere to emerge.
Many works in the show felt incomplete, as if more time should have been spent developing concepts and ideas. During “Dirt,” the dancers slowly accumulated their motions from a small side-to-side movement of the head to sitting up and spinning their torsos in encompassing circles. As I watched, I became entranced with the music and movement, and began to circle in my chair as well. An idea was beginning to develop — but then that idea was never completed. There are infinite ways of accumulating movement from sitting and spinning the torso to circling the body into a standing position. However, this never happened. The dancers simply stopped spinning, stood up, reconfigured their bodies, and started to circle their torsos while standing. The lack of a transition jarred me from my trance.
Many pieces needed more time and consideration for transitions and content. Two pieces on female strength and women’s rights were underdeveloped to the point of being disrespectful. I questioned the musical choices in these pieces, which featured songs from Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. Both artists are recognized for proudly displaying their femininity. To me, however, they are still public icons of female exploitation for the media.
The social context surrounding a piece of music can drive the intent of dance choreography — even more so than the music itself. The most uncomfortable piece was “Enigma,” performed to a song by Lady Gaga. In this piece, the women wore burqas and the male dancer stood in the center of an all-female half-circle that splashed him with spirit fingers embossed with lady-strength. The concept for this piece could have left the audience questioning more serious social issues. There was not enough research and the dancers were not able to embody the experience of suppression. The piece felt conceptually offensive rather than conceptually profound.
The challenge of choreographing so many pieces for one show seemed to put a strain on the development of choreographic and artistic ideas, but it did not put a strain on the dancers’ ability to completely dedicate themselves to every aspect of their performance. The show had several exceptional performers. Soloist Nicole Mayes, during "Lifeboat," made every movement profound, from the articulation of her feet to the wide expansion of her arms. Her movements were unexpected and thrilling, but she maintained complete control over her body.
Another solo that stood out was “Alone in my Room,” performed by Michelle Bissonette. This piece had the entire audience laughing. The music, sung by Marvin Gaye, was strategically choreographed with movement that varied between accentuating or juxtaposing the music. This mature strategy generated the necessary comedic relief for the show. The dancer moved around in her “teenage bedroom,” enjoying the comfort of her unhindered sexy dance moves. Fortunately, the movements never became uncomfortable for the audience to watch because Bissonette was interrupted by her mother knocking on the door, right before stripping down to her negligee.
This company has the potential to continue growing into one of Phoenix’s primary companies with a large ensemble, but they still have a long way to go. They have dedicated performers, choreographic potential, and community support that helped them to find an interesting performance venue. However, more consideration needs to be made for their next performance in a non-traditional theater space. There was no lighting focused on the dancers, which flattened out their bodies, and dampened the choreographic designs of the stage. The sound was also too quiet for the space, leaving the audience and some of the dancers feeling disconnected from the music, especially during the tracks with a heavy bass line.
Prolifics Dance Company has already shown its ability to create high-quality work, especially in their contemporary group pieces. Continuing to work on their strengths as choreographers and movers, and learning when to discard an idea or hold onto it until it feels completed, will help take this company to the next level.
(This review is also a part of the Downtown Devil Curtain Critic)
Photo Courtesy of Prolifics Dance Company
Review by Julie Akerly
September 5, 2014 @ 8pm