Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Described in the program as a "modern dance drama," Saturday night's performance of "Death Before Dying" should have been a work of high emotion built on a theatrical foundation. But it didn't turn out that way.

Directed by the single-named Arpita and featuring choreography by Jane Franklin, the piece was performed at Warehouse and set to live music by the Indian-inspired rock band Moksha. This was a solid, well-rehearsed music ensemble -- so much so that sometimes their music overpowered the dance and became the focal point. The production alternated between sections of Indian and Western dance. While using two styles was likely meant to differentiate between two parallel stories, the dances did not feel distinctive but rather completely unrelated.

"Death Before Dying" intended to impart an elaborate tale of two tumultuous love affairs. Though it is obvious that some of the dancers are portraying lovers, the rest of the plot is unclear. Program notes say they are experiencing the "ecstatic madness" of love or "self-destruction and complete isolation and annihilation," but these extreme emotions were virtually undetectable. Warehouse's main stage is an intimate venue perfect for storytelling and fostering a connection with the audience, but this production failed to capitalize on that.

Just a few hours later, another performance did use the space to the best advantage. An interdisciplinary work that began at midnight, Karma Mayet Johnson's "Indigo, a Blues Opera" told the story of two female slaves in pre-Civil War America who meet on a plantation, fall in love and eventually escape to freedom together. The mostly two-woman show called for acting, dancing and singing, and performers Johnson and Ashley Brockington proved their versatility in these challenging roles.

-- Sarah Halzack