The 21st season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center opened with a program of two exquisite and contrastingly energetic works – common ground[s] and Pina Bausch’s 1975 The Rite of Spring. The latter was choreographed to Stravinsky’s 1913 score, as well as restaged with 30 dancers from 13 African countries. Bausch, who died in 2009, was a significant contributor to the neo-expressionist dance tradition known as Tanztheater.
common ground[s]
Germaine Acogny and Malou Airaudo choreographed and performed the Los Angeles premiere of “common ground[s],” opening the program. Acogny, known as “the mother of contemporary African dance,” and Airaudo, born in France and has been with Bausch’s company, Tanztheater Wuppertal, contributed to the performance.
common ground[s]; Photo by Maarten Vanden Abeele
Acogny and Airaudo harmoniously weave their distinctive styles with strength and fluidity upon a darkened stage with deep blue sky backdrop. The fastidiously paced ritualistic movement meditation beautifully explores the interconnectedness of identity and culture with a sense of deep intimacy. They shift from staff wielding warriors to toiling at a wash tub to gazing at the sky to playfully singing “Que Sera, Sera.” The string and piano composition by Fabrice Bouillon LaForest guides the dance with repetitive rhythmic patterns, silence, and chirping crickets. Ultimately, they sit resolutely on low chairs stomping out a beat as the light fades.
Intermission
The 30-minute intermission took on an air of performance itself. As we watched, a crew in black work clothes covered the stage with a tarp. Then with rakes and brooms meticulously covered it with the soil.
The Rite of Spring
Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring is an electrifying masterpiece that captivates the audience with raw intensity as well as emotional depth. The piece explores themes of sacrifice, rebirth, and collective phrenzy as a “chosen one” changes the season from winter to spring. In her direction, Bausch had asked her dancers the question: “How would you dance if you knew you were going to die?”
The Rite of Spring; Photo by Maarten Vanden Abeele
The performance unfolds with a relentless pace and momentum articulating the subtlest gesture to the most complex ensemble sequences. The dancers’ visceral energy and physicality is palpable as they navigate Bausch’s demanding choreography with grace, athleticism, and emotional expression. The women adroitly leap onto the men’s chest and shoulders, held and spun with intimate care. The women and men form respective clusters holding sacred space. Women tremble and men caress them, while the ensemble flies past each other in synchronized formation.
As mentioned, the floor is covered with soil. As the dancers kick up dust, I could smell the earth in the air that provided an additional immersive experience. Credit to Rolf Borzik for the original set and costume design. Togolese dancer Anique Ayiboe stands out as the Chosen One performing with vulnerability and fervor.
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