Gallim Dance: What’s Modern Today?
Gallim Dance
TODAY’S MODERN DANCERS are not dealing with the emotional palate of yesterday. Their responses to the world deal with an ever-changing sense of psychology, technology, and culture.
The form of modern dance is at its best when the perspective is fresh, the movement is original, and the performers are invested—which was true of the Gallim Dance performance at Memminger Auditorium during Spoleto’s opening weekend.
The piece titled I Can See Myself in Your Pupil with choreography by Andrea Miller evolves and accelerates through a seamless journey into the human psyche where the dancers explore how they respond to the world around them. The first half is more cerebral, while the second half escalates into a lively, dynamic display where individuals who seem abstracted in the first section ultimately come into their own in a quirky glimpse of young urban life.
Gallim Dance
There is great freedom in Miller’s choreography. Reckless abandon is used often and the search for movement within movement seems to motivate the dancers (four women and three men), whether they move as an ensemble exploding with energy that can stop short or burst forth with an array of violence, playfulness, or primal force—or as a duet that is awkwardly tender—or in solos that portray a juxtaposition of shape and gesture.
The music spans an array of sound and styles which seem to come from many corners of the world. The costumes, too, change often, as do their colors and textures.
Andrea Miller
The lighting by Vincent Vigilante aptly displays the dance in its many moods and dynamics. The eloquent and fluid dancers are strongly engaged and their bodies move in surprising ways that clearly portray Miller’s themes in a most enjoyable way.
As usual, Eliza has written a good review.
Good review. I feel that too often the older generation struggles with the expression of the new generation. Eliza helps put this in perspective. No one can deny the physicality and talent of this dance troop.
Fresh, original, invested—sounds like Charleston Today. How nice for festival goers to have an alternative, intelligent review. Well done.
Though I was out of town this weekend, Eliza’s review brought this performance to life and I feel unfortunate that I missed them.