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In August of 2006, I attended the grand opening of what had been the Naval Training Center on Pt. Loma, and was now being developed into spaces specifically designed to house various arts entities, including dance. Since dance is a spatial art form - takes up space - in all three dimensions - it needs and has difficulty finding adequate facilities. These necessities also include a responsive floor, ceiling height, good light, adequate acoustics, wall space for mirrors and barres, unencumbered floor space, and good ventilation. In the normal stock of urban rental property these requisites are exceedingly difficult to fulfill. Turning the historic buildings on this site into accommodations for dance was a miracle to the dance community of this city.

Subsequently, three long time resident dance companies in San Diego moved in. Another building is planned to become a performing arts theater, but until then and for work shops and other works in progress, studio performances are often presented. This gives the audience a wonderful opportunity to view an art form that all too often is only seen at a distance. What is lost in the magic of a proscenium venue is gained by proximity - which is how dance began in the mists of time.

Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater put out a call for choreographers to showcase their work in two performances on July 12, 2008; interestingly modern dancer/choreographer Isaacs included four pieces utilizing ballet dancers and classical technique. The first three pieces were choreographed by Natalie Cook: "Closing Time," "Peaceful Sleep" and "You’re Late Again." Each dance was exceedingly short - by necessity - to fit into the time allotted for the program as a whole.

The dancers - Katie Critchlow, Marilyn Leider, Natalie Cook, Deby Gil, Gerardo Gil - were certainly up to the task and while expressive, the choreography didn’t have the time it needed for full development. "You’re Late Again" - a tango - didn’t “take off” - I wanted them to let go and tango. But it remains a question as to whether this didn’t happen because of the lack of time allowed. Peaceful Sleep was shortened from eleven minutes to two. It speaks well of what was shown that I wanted to see more. Perhaps Cook might have been better served to have presented only two works - and thus shown more of each.

When dance - ballet - is performed so close to its audience, as much a part of the ballet world as I have been, it is shocking to see the length to which a pared down body has been taken. There is a point at which the eye of the observer is jarred by ribs and collar bones, all too visible even through a costume. It’s unhealthy - it’s unnecessary. Ballet could learn from modern dance that a body needs some substance; ribs aren’t that attractive.

"Homage to Susana Linke," choreographed by Isaacs, immediately showed the stark contrast between the sister dance forms: modern dance and ballet. The weight is used differently, the center core is lower and the body shape produced is strikingly different. Nuance and effect, are miles apart; but interesting miles. This piece for four women spent a deal of time walking the square of the studio space emphatically emphasizing pumping arms and firmly planted feet taking possession of the “road ahead.” The square was marked off and they owned it.

The next fives pieces were created by choreographers of varying degrees of experience and success; this is not a negative statement, but to be expected in a showcase giving opportunity to budding talent. Everyone has to start somewhere. Anjanette Maraya-Ramey’s piece (untitled) flowed well, with a single dancer, Vivana Alcazar, keeping up the energy.

Young choreographer, Rayna Stohl, from a company which focuses on teenage talent, made a good start using ten dancers, moving them around to cover available space, but occasionally fell into the temptation of having the dance patterns look more like a dance class - everyone lining up to go down the diagonal - than a performance piece. However, it’s a good start - and she certainly deserves encouragement.

For "See You Somewhere," choreographer Miriam Sach chose “Dark Eyes” (Ochi Chernaya) for her music but her dance needed to get more into the flow of that irresistible music - this is another piece that seemed like a taste rather than a meal. Vivianna Alcazar’s Seven had lots of interesting movement, attention to detail, good interaction between her dancers - Minaqua McPherson and Anjanette Maraya-Ramey - as well as when they danced alone. I felt no hesitation in her creative abilities.

Bernadette Torres in Relish and Wanderlust
© Manuel Rotenberg

The highlight of the evening was a marriage of two people and two dance forms: gifted modern dance choreographer, Isaacs, and gifted ballet dancer, . The piece was called "Relish and Wanderlust" - but by any name it was splendid. Torres is a tall leggy dancer (slender but not alarmingly so) whose technical abilities are on another level entirely. Ease of execution, command of her space and body, allows her to seamlessly fulfill the choreography and then some.

We got to see how a ballet trained body, in pointe shoes, can take on modern dance and yet remain classical at its core. While some elements were rather gymnastic in shape, the dance element was not sacrificed. Ballet has profited from the talents of modern dance choreographers. I don’t know how much Isaacs has created for ballet, but she should do more.

Another Isaacs’ piece (with Minaqua McPherson), "Vaudville Trip," was a fine finalé using the music “Slavic Soul Party” - by a Slavic Band - which actually sounded a great deal like Klezmer. Three dancers: Minaqua McPherson, Amy Rasdal, Marlo Stoutenberg - wore trench coats over flesh colored tights and leotards, flashed opening and closing the coats, parodying the “now you see it - now you don’t” aspect of the “flasher.” The piece was clever and spiced with humor.

Isaacs is to be applauded for her generosity of spirit in giving other talent - both experienced and not so - a venue to show, to learn by doing, and to profit from her much more skilled hand. All too often the answer is “no” to those who seek entry. How can they learn - how can dance grow - if those who control the space available aren’t willing to encourage others? And I further applaud Isaacs for extending that generosity of spirit to include another dance form - ballet - into her modern dance home.