Above: Arsenio Andrade (left) and Natasha Abrahams in Lestor Horton's 'The Beloved', a dramatic dance of pain, passion and violence. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer DANCE MIGHT be the mainstay of the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) season of concerts, currently in its 41st season at The Little Theatre on Tom Redcam Drive in St. Andrew, but the costumes were an overall impressive aspect of the show, occasionally outshining the dances.
The costumes generally featured creative designs combined with good construction and the interesting use of colour. The 2003 season, which began on Friday with a gala performance, features a repertoire of nine new works, 12 active works and two revivals. The opening night featured three of the new works, 'Bird Song', 'Renewal of the Spirit' and 'The Beloved'.
The most interesting costumes of the evening's performances were designed by the NDTC's costume mistress, Arlene Richards. Richards, also one of the group's lead dancers and choreographers, also choreographed one of the night's most interesting pieces, 'Renewal of the Spirit'.
DRAMATIC
'Renewal of the Spirit' is a dramatic dance which deals with a man who loses his faith and a woman who subsequently finds hers. Staci Lee Fowles and Kevin Moore were the main dancers in the piece. The costumes, featuring largely surplices and cassocks worn by priests and garments worn by nuns, married creativity and authenticity. The use of almost only black and white was both symbolically effective and pleasing to the eye.
Another new work which blended interesting costumes and choreography was 'The Beloved'. The piece was choreographed by Lester Horton (in 1948), while the costumes were designed by Barry Moncrieffe. 'The Beloved' was easily the most intense dance of the evening, and one of the few memorable presentations, the others being 'Renewal of the Spirit' and Pocomania.
On Friday, the duet was performed by Natasha Abrahams and Arsenio Andrade, both of whom gave a great depiction of a man and woman in a dysfunctional relationship which ends in violence. The dance was easily Andrade's best performance of the night. The costume featured the couple in evening dress sitting around a simple set, consisting of a dinner table with high-backed chairs.
SIMILAR THEME
'Ritual of the Sunrise' and 'Bird Song' were two dances wherein the costumes shone brighter than the dance itself. Both pieces, choreographed by the Honourable Rex Nettleford, the artistic director of NDTC, shared a similar theme of celebration of life. However, neither featured outstanding choreography.
On the other hand, the costumes showed an interesting blend of colours which were in themselves celebratory of the possibilities of life. The only exception was the tail feathers added to the male dancers' costumes during 'Bird Song', which failed enhance the appeal of the costumes.
The final piece of the night was the revival of 'Pocomania', which was also choreographed by Nettleford. The dance gave a peek into the world of 'Pocomania' and was a vivid, moving piece, which also incorporated live singing. Unfortunately, the audio quality was poor, allowing the excellent drumming to often drown out the voices of the NDTC Singers.
As such, the season features a blend of three innovative dances and barely interesting (though long) ones. However, the strong pieces make the journey worthwhile. While the dances seem to have benefited greatly from the continued injection of new blood, the NDTC Singers continue to be in dire need of a transfusion. The singers are not hampered by the content of the music, but rather by how mundane their performances are.
Additionally, there was a tragic lack of imagination in their costumes, which quite contrasted with those worn by the dancers.
