Jeanette Stoner and Dancers
Stoner Loft, 83 Leonard Street, New York City
May 2–5, 2015
A Review
  Chase Booth in Numinous, choreographed by Jeanette Stoner ~ Photo by Stephen Sullivan |
Jeanette has a cadre of dancers who have worked with her over time. The collaboration between her visions and their execution results in excellent dance indeed.
Jeanette creates with “things”—truly sometimes with whatever is found. For example, an old cable spool, Wheel (2007), danced by Chase Booth; with whatever is at hand, Wall (2014), danced by Peter Davis; with fantastic yards of airy fabric, Numinous (premier), danced by Chase Booth; or hand-made structures, Just So (premiere), danced by Peter David.
No matter the things at hand, the motional relationship is clear, well conceived, and well danced. The things in motion are partner to the dancer. One can see this here in the photo of Numinous. This use of materials and structures to partner motion is traditional in her company.
Occasionally, I see something that is ignored. For example, I am sure Wall was choreographed in work lights. When the stage lighting was added, an additional motion element (the shadow) was produced. This seemed to be ignored.
And then I am left with a puzzlement. The premier presented here was Stairs. And yes, two flights of stairs, used well by the quartet of men (Chase Booth, John Gutierrez, Jorge Morales, and Kinsley Nwaogu), but also a net containing a young lady hung from the “sky.” Lindsay Wolff, the netted lady, seemed to be just there. Although the quartet and the stairs moved, the net and dancer seemed to be simply a set piece. The music, composed by Syjetlana Bukvich for Stairs, was rich and complementary to the action.
Always, Jeanette spurs the aesthetic and kinetic, and that what the art of dance should do.
—Ruth Grauert, May 11, 2015