Ivy Baldwin’s performance of Bear Crown at Dance Theater Workshop (DTW) on Friday night can best be described as a theatrical performance with some dancing thrown in.  The title of the piece, Bear Crown is a brand of beer which the dancers would drink while in residency in Romania.

The performance began with a recording of classical music which served as an introduction to the show.  This gave off a feeling of a traditional play where the curtain is still closed as the orchestra plays to an anticipatory audience.

Finally, the curtains are drawn to reveal a woman standing on what looks like a wedding cake. Majestically she walks forward, taking two steps and then drawing one foot underneath the other one.

Three women approach her from different angles of the stage and they join her in the center, all with fisted hands.  Lawrence Cassella, the male performer joins the four women on stage and although they are close together, all of them appear to be in separate worlds.  They are disconnected from each other until they all begin similar arm movements where they cover their eyes and then fall to the floor simultaneously.  On the ground, they begin a strange dialogue.  Mr. Cassella begins the dialogue in a very proper and aristocratic voice.  “My, what a lovely bear rug you have. Did you get it at the bear rug store?”  The four women respond, “My, what a lovely bear crown you have, did you get it at the bear crown store?”  This back and forth continues humorously, until only Mr. Cassella and Ms. Baldwin are talking.  The use of voice and sound gave me the impression that this performance was more theatrical than an actual dance performance.

One of the most compelling moments is when all five dancers are circling the stage, creating various poses with their bodies.  Throughout this time, the person who is leading the pack switches with another dancer.  This switching goes on until each dancer has been in the lead at least once.

The next section is not as harmonious.  One of the dancers is pushed against different walls around the stage until finally she is pushed to the ground and all is silent.

At times it felt as if the different sections of performance were disconnected.  This might have been Ms. Baldwin’s intention but it was difficult to glean what the focus was supposed to be.  The performers were excellent actors, each creating their own personality.  The problem with the performance seems to be a lack of transformation. The audience is left feeling unfulfilled.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Amanda Keller
Performance:  Ivy Baldwin Dance, Bear Crown:  A Theatrical Dance Performance
Choreographer:  Ivy Baldwin
Venue:  Dance Theater Workshop/DTW
Date:  Friday, March 20, 2009 at 7:30pm
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