Program Notes | Pittsburgh City Paper: For a dance show taking place in a former roller rink, Are You Still There? is appropriately playful, even playground-like. In one sequences, dancers take turns getting dragged across the floor on a gym-class parachute. On a stage adorned with old-school telephones, however, the show’s signature prop is an extra-long phone cord (actually a cable in disguise) slung through a pulley mounted in the ceiling; dancers used the handsets on either end to pull each other into the air.
3 comments:
It is cool to see theater happening at places like this. Firstly, in Homewood, a poorer Pittsburgh neighborhood. And secondly, in an abandoned roller rink, already a compelling architecture without the added dance show. I really like the name Pittsburgh Coliseum, it suggests a monument remaining of a once great civilization. In this case, the life of the roller rink, and the Homewood, that was is reflected in the new life of the dancers springing up from the ashes.
I am really glad to see that these innovative Pittsburgh dance companies are attracting people from Juilliard and beyond. I think performances like this are really critical. Bringing art like this to unexpected places is critical, as establishing a newfound accessibility is the only way dance will continue to be relevant. I really believe that at its core dance is an exploratory art form, and shows like this truly celebrate dance.
I'm really bummed I missed this show. A friend of mine, Derek Bendel, was one of the musicians, and he was telling me how innovative the performance was! Reading the descriptions of the performance validifies his claims. Hearing about this production and other like it makes me more and more excited to be living in Pittsburgh. Every day I learn about a new artist, performer, or musician fighting to push the boundaries and approach creation in a new, experimental way. Next time Attack Theater has a production, I will be sure to go see it!
Post a Comment