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TRaC Review Tiffany Tucker (Dance TRaC, Fall 05) Reviews Sweet Chariots at Joyce Theater in SoHo  Gospel music, colorful costumes, and an enormous amount of talent flooded the stage of the Joyce Theater in Soho on Saturday, October 22. The Clare Byrne Dance Company performed "Sweet Chariots," which was a collaboration of pieces that grooved within each other throughout the entire performance. Clare Byrne, who is the main choreographer of the production, truly shows her depth and diversity in the different pieces she has created. Each individual piece presents its own unique quality, whether it was the mood, costume or lighting. The first piece, entitled "AinÍt Nothing Wrong With That" is distinctive simply because of ByrneÍs choice of cast. Students from the Long Island University Dance Department fill the stage, and contribute greatly to the upbeat and vibrant music, composed by Eric Reed, leaving the audience with a feeling of ease once the piece had ended. The following piece, "Song of a Lark," which included guest performers Nicholas Leichter and Amy Larimer, contains elevating and inspirational movement, and is performed to music by Aretha Franklin, James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. The performers dance fluently, and with great ease present an idea to the audience containing insight and motivation. The costumes also add to the idea presented in the piece. The dancers wore loose-fitting garments made of a light, flowing material, contributing to the light. The most memorable piece of the entire show is "Fording the Night," performed by Byrnes herself and Sharon Estacio. It begins in silence, and quickly evolves throughout the piece. The duo has a remarkable connection with each other, and through their movement display a dance filled with passion and commitment toward one another. However, the "icing on the cake" to the piece was the lighting. The lighting, which was organized by Erik C. Bruce and Christine Shallenberg, involved a simple spotlight. The light follows the dancers throughout the entirety of the piece, illuminating the movements made between the women. The light alludes to the theme of the piece, questioning what is really happening in the relationship of the two women. "Swing High, Fly By" was an excellent switch from the serious, strong movement found in "Fording the Night." The jazzy, carefree feeling emoted by the dancers engages the audience in a completely different manner than that of the previous dance. The trio glides through the air, traveling through the stage throughout the entire piece. There wasnÍt a main theme in the piece, just the sense of a happy, carefree feeling. The performers interact with each other throughout the dance, either by gesturing or laughing with one another. Also, there is a lot of use of percussive movements through the dancerÍs feet. Adding to the humor of the dance, there were many "false endings." When you think that the music has ended and the dancers are finished performing, the trio would begin another section, followed by more music. Overall, the enthusiasm and vitality of "Swing High, Fly By" made the piece enjoyable and a pleasure to watch. "Sweet Chariots" definitely ends with a big bang. The strong-willed, determined solo entitled "Solo Flight" wraps up the show with Byrnes herself "bringing down the house" to a song by Aretha Franklin, James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. Her small body overwhelms the entire stage with her strong presence in her movements. Her costume is colorful and loose, and flows along with her across the stage. There is a great amount of energy conveyed by her throughout the piece, both physically, within her body, and emotionally in the way that she places her focus and concentration. Her movement is flawless not only because she is the creator, but because of the continuous drive she holds on to as she performs. "Sweet Chariots" was a well-planned, energetic and focused performance. The energy within the show is never hindered, and the focus is never lost. Clare Byrnes, as both a choreographer and a dancer, is flawless in the choices she makes. |