Three DVDs by Mimi Garrard
Videodances performed by The Mimi Garrard Dance Theatre
A Review
Last week Mimi sent me copies of her latest works. I can’t imagine the level of sophisticated electronics that such works entails, but I can appreciate the visions Mimi has produced.
- Dance Circles 2004 gives a kaleidoscope of changing forms, ever evolving and keeps “tumbling” the sentient viewer from his armchair.
- Event Horizon Part 1 and Part 2 composition really shows Mimi’s “dance eye.” I truly appreciated the development and growth of this image.
- Omagbitse Suite is “architectural” in its feeling, ponderous in its visions and sometimes engulfing, almost erotic.
Mimi has been working at this technique for many years. (Can you tell us, Mimi, when you first started with computer generation?) It really finds its roots in the works she did with film in the early sixties, later with television screens. Of course, those were “stage” works; these are “screen” works. And as I viewed them, I could not help wondering what the experience would be like to see it on a wrap-around cimema screen. It would blow the viewer away.
The dancers who work with Mimi are first rate. Her sound scores are as remarkable as her visions. This kind of work takes not only the kinetic sensitivity, the color judgment, the feel for space and shape of a dancer but also brains and patience beyond my imagining. I, who unwittingly deletes invaluable information and have to refer to the manual to find the “play” button, can only marvel at what she does.
Videoclip samples of Mimi's work can be downloaded from her Web site (MimiGarrardDance.com, click Videodances). DVDs of all 28 video dance programs can be purchased for $39 each. For more information, contact The Mimi Garrard Dance Company.
See also Mimi’s essay, “Tapping into the Eternal: My Journey with Alwin Nikolais”.
— Ruth E. Grauert, January 2005