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Jeanette Stoner & Dancers

83 Leonard Street, New York, NY
December 9–12, 2004

A Review

Those of you who have followed Jeanette’s work know that she periodically presents a “rope dance” and last night’s program was no exception. This latest version gives Chase Booth space to really move. With the leverage of the “rope” he manages to give us a fantasy of tipsey doings, with Amos Pinhasi as the “hooded figure” presiding over the machinations.

Jeanette ventures into play writing. We are familiar with her admirable poetic addenda for her choreography, but… the subtleties of her “play” didn’t “read” and left me in a non-space. I groped (or rested) throughout. Of course, the theme is clear, the presentation post-modern, but so... HallMark cards have said it more succinctly.

The second half was an elegant presentation of a long work called Uncover that depicted our emergence from slime. The initial “worm dance” could stand some motion development, but it did make a statement, and the image of the transition into the next dance was magical! Akiko Ko-Taiano with her amazing facility explored the emerging creature-thing to its fullest. The following dances provided us with satisfying performances and staging and, with the progressive use of the center stage curtain, made me wish to see this dance on a proscenium stage. It’s a good work, and I was so happy to see it after the disappointing “play.”

It was a good evening — although I still wish Jeannette would dance herself. It was gratifying to see that Chase Booth has emerged as a first rate dance artist.

— Ruth Grauert



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