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The dancers from Configuration Dance Troupe in Chatham will perform on Saturday. |
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The Adam Miller Dance Troupe will offer their take on the traditional western movie. |
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Dancing with the stars
By Melora B. North
Banner Staff
Up here at the tip of the Cape there is a modest amount of action over the cold months. No, the place is certainly not jumping, but the natives are not exactly sitting around the potbelly stove glued to the big screen TV and a string of old game show reruns. There is indeed culture, and we not only absorb it — we crave and need it. To the rescue, Adam Miller and Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, who will present us with a dance extravaganza Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Provincetown Theatre, 238 Bradford St.
“I came up with an idea to have a dance festival a few years ago. I had waited and waited for the chance and when I performed at the Provincetown Theater opening gala in 2004 I knew I had to do it,” says artistic director Miller. “The audience up here is underserved. There are a lot of interests outside of art, dance is one of them. And the festival is very attractive to artists, they love the ability to interact with other artists, every single artist has wanted to come back,” he explains. “So I approached [Castle Hill Executive Director] Cherie Mittenthal and she said, ‘we’d love to be involved, let’s do it.’” They did, and continue to do so.
That first year there was only one performance, and according to Miller it was sold out. The next year they expanded and put on some workshops and two shows, and again the dancers performed to full houses. “When we first started I hired a lot of people I knew and admired. I wanted to showcase them,” says Miller. “This year I wanted to branch out and rotate the talent, get some fresh faces, so I solicited videos and applications, I sent out an APB to various companies. I got quite a mixed bag of packages and discovered some really great artists, I’m saving some for next year, it’s really exciting.”
In the meantime, this year’s productions should be diverse and entertaining, all avenues explored while stretching the limbs and the imagination. The Friday night event will be a host of eight solo performances while the Saturday evening show is a roster of five companies from the Cape, Boston, Hartford and New York, and one commission.
The commission is to be produced and performed by Indian dancers and friends Rachna Agrawal, a teacher in Hartford, and Sridhar Shanmugam, an accomplished dancer who has toured worldwide with such famed dancers as Chandralekha, Pina Bausch and Suzanna Linke. Together the pair have created an original piece that will make its world premiere this weekend. “I’m very excited, they’re wonderful dancers,” says Miller.
Other highlights of the weekend include solo performances on Friday by Gianna Russillo, currently in the Broadway cast of “Phantom of the Opera” and a member of the Adam Miller Dance Project (who will be performing on Saturday night), and Debbi Goff, a contemporary performer who will be on stage with a singer as background. Also backed up by a singer, and in this case a piano as well, will be Margaret Morrison, tapping her way to oblivion in her magical shoes on both nights, because, says Miller, “I felt everyone should have an opportunity to see her.”
Adam Scher of Adamscherdance performs solo on Friday and with his company on Saturday. “I had never heard of him before,” says Miller. “He was recommended by Joyce Theater. He’s a modern dance choreographer with a great sense of humor. He blends modern with street, hip hop, ballet. He’s doing a sweet, romantic duet with a woman on Saturday.”
Kino Dance is also up on Friday night, when there will be dance in conjunction with videos. Caity Gwin performs that evening as well.
Camille Brown heats things up on Saturday with some mean moves a la Alvin Ailey tradition, according to Miller. “She does a mix of street, modern and African American jazz. I saw her video and was blown away. We won’t be able to afford her in another year, she’s a real find, an artist on the rise,” says Miller.
Local dance troupe Configuration from Chatham will be offering up four dancers on Saturday who manipulate ballet in a modern way. “They are very innovative, they balance contemporary dance with classical ballet,” says Miller.
Rounding out the show is Miller’s Adam Miller Dance Project doing something a little different. “This year’s theme is a ballet tribute to Western movies,” says Miller. “I had done it before and knew it could be better. I revived it for this weekend and cut it from 20 minutes to 11. I think the Provincetown audience will like it. It’s a montage with sound effects from the movies.”
About this selection of artists and venues, Miller says, “I love the idea of ballet, contemporary, tap and Indian dance all performed on the same stage. There is a lot of dance people have never seen before, it’s great to expose people to these things. I think they’ll like it.”
For tickets, $15 to $35, call (508) 487-9793 or visit www.ptowntix.com
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I vant your blood
Outer Cape Gallery Listings
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Oct 18th, 2007