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Morris founded his company, the Mark Morris Dance Group, in 1980. The choreographer raised standards for live performance to new heights through his creation of the Mark Morris Dance Group Musical Ensemble in 1996. This group of prominent musicians provide live musical accompaniment to the Morris dancers. Morris strongly believes that live music in the performance not only enhances perception of the choreography, but also brings a totally different dimension to the art of dance, establishing truly lively artistic collaboration and interaction among the dancers and musicians onstage. This pioneering step is a significant contribution to the development of modern dance.

The Mark Morris Dance Group took to the stage at the George Mason University Center for the Arts in a program featuring four dances set to music of composers of the past two centuries.

The first dance of the evening, The Argument (1999) is a portrayal of emotional turbulence in romantic courtship. The meaning of this dance is literally its title. Six movements of Robert Schumann “Fünf Stücke im Volkston” (Five Pieces in Folk Style) inspired this piece danced by three couples (Charlton Boyd, Julie Worden, John Heginbotham, Michelle Yard, Craig Biesecker, Maile Okamura). Morris translates the intensity and passion of Schumann’s score in a series of dramatic breakups and reconciliation among the dancers accentuating the conflicting nature of their relationship. It’s a beautiful, sophisticated work with a touch of glamour. The choreographer channels a wide range of human emotions from frustration and despair to passion and consolation through expressive arm movements. Morris creatively introduces evanescent elements of tango and waltz, melding motion and stillness. The choreography of the dance remarkably mirrors the tonality and texture of the music.

Nine miniature piano pieces by Frédérick Chopin (Etudes, Mazurkas, Berceuse, Waltz, Nocturne and Prelude) each lasting no more than five minutes accompany Sang-Froid (2000), which could be considered a typical Morris dance. In this work, performed by the ensemble of nine, the choreographer creates a visual impression of the music. The movement vocabulary is an evocation of musical notation. Gestures and steps closely follow musical patters. The audience literally hears and sees the music. Sadly, overly plain dark costumes take away from the visual appeal of this piece.
 

After the intermission, the group presented Candleflowerdance, a sextet choreographed in 2005 to Igor Stravinsky’s Serenade in A, dedicated to an exceptional woman and writer, Susan Sontag. The set décor is minimal per tradition—a vase of flowers and a few lit candles. Costume and lighting effects are simple. Throughout the dance, a single movement is repeated in refrain: The dancers line up in order facing the audience, then one-by-one fall to the floor as if a candle flame blown out by the wind. The cast (Crag Biesecker, Charlton Boyd, Rita Donahue, Lauren Grant, Bradon McDonald, Julie Worden) gave the most passionate performance of the evening, aptly rendering the imaginative bow to Stravinsky. The pianist of the Mark Morris Dance Group Musical Ensemble, Steven Beck, was superb playing the challenging score with effortless power, remarkable clarity and rich tones.

One of Morris’s greatest hits, Grand Duo (1993) is a ritualistic ensemble danced by the entire cast, which impressively draws the program to a close. This work, set to American composer Lou Harrison’s “Grand Duo for Violin and Piano,” has special meaning for the choreographer.

Morris deeply admired music of Harrison (1917-2003) and created a total of eight dances to his compositions. “All of Lou’s music is exquisite. I think he was a brilliant, great composer,” says Morris. In Grand Duo, he captures the fervent spirit and exhilarating mood by incorporating brisk, sharp movements of the arm and quick, intense footwork. The exotic costumes—fashionably short tunics and dim lighting—add to the powerful impact of this dance. In the last movement, Polka, the dancers create an exhilarating, whirling circle, stomping feet and clapping hands, bringing the program to a powerful, breathtaking finale.