© Robbie Jack Mark Morris 'Don't Want' reviews 'Marble Halls' reviews 'Rock of Ages' reviews Mark Morris 'V' reviews Folkman in reviews Bowie in reviews recent Mark Morris reviews more Renee Renouf reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

In I Don't Want to Love, to the ornate vocal clarity and the periodic exclamatory flourishes of the harpsichord, Morris asked his dancers to cavort and posture. The costumes themselves are a bit of "your choice" in white, perhaps a subliminal reference to the purity of sound and vocal tones produced by the American Bach Society. Choice included a teddy, shorts, white slacks for one of the women; ornate shirts for the men, a long skirt with a slit, and gestures from baroque conventions: the pledge; the denial; classical port de bras en haut; women's arms held out as if held above elaborate paniers. Marjorie Folkman, a last minute substitute in the septet, was particularly appealing; her arms invariably were models of form, reflecting the musical quality with exquisite accuracy. For the final song, Addio, Joe Bowie worked his way subtly from his entry downstage right, weaving through other dancers, into a device which Morris finds useful in various stage locations, standing alone upstage center, semi-ecarte, as the lights darkened.

Marble Halls is a killer of complexity and technique, starting with a core line of four stage center which changed places until each dancer had stood in the front. Other groups of four emerged from either side of the stage like eddies of water, retreating, or formed small clutches for a moment and then retired. The entire group sported snug lavender trunks finishing above the knee, with orange and lavender striped sleeveless shirts.

Several movements required the dancers to hop repeatedly in place with one leg in low developpe. The dancers also progressively lowered themselves until they squatted on the working leg with one leg stretched ecarte and pointed. My muscles screamed in sympathy. The dancers flung their arms to illustrate a musical phrase; Lauren Grant progressed across the front of the stage, turning and jumping into the arms of four stalwarts. Morris missed no notes and reflected Bach's structure in almost transparent fashion in this piece almost two decades ago.
 

Charlton Boyd and Joe Bowie
in Mark Morris’ I Don't Want to Love
© Robbie Jack

Rock of Ages almost managed a world premiere each of the three times it was performed, because at the first performance it was danced by four women; the second performance by two men and two women and the third performance by four men. To Schubert's remarkably sweet music the two couples in decided blues and greens contrasted each other: the man wearing dark blue trousers; the women an equal shade in her form-fitting suit; the other couple would essay the same contrast in green.

There was a formality in the arms and extended leg forward like the beginnings of a reverence, the extended leg circling in a forward ronde de jamb. Arms outstretched would come together with the couple and one dancer's head would roll down the partner's extended arm. This became a motif, used by the couples, then by the girls, followed by the fellows and finally by all four in close proximity. It spoke volumes in silent tenderness.

The final number,V, dedicated to the City of New York, divided dancers by colors, loose brilliant blue blouses with trunks, and form fitting sleeveless tunics and full length trousers in pale green, neither bearing particular significance except to delineate the musical threads of Schumann's Quintet in E-flat for Piano and Strings. The Blues are sky-bound, and yet they also chugged and crawled along the floor. The greens entered from upstage left and intertwined with the Blues. Morris plots the course with inevitability. Kisselgoff considered V another Morris master work.

I need to see the work again, but this program was a revelation of movement and music.