Rebecca Daniels
(This article appeared in the October 2, 2003 edition of the Woodstock Times. Reprinted with permission of the Woodstock Times.)
For a variety of reasons, dance as an art form, and modern dance in particular, is far less popular in our area than is theatre. One reason may be the wealth of local thespians willing to direct and perform in community theatre, with or without professional training. Dancers, however, a more exotic breed, require at least a measure of training.
For the past year, Marguerite and Andres San Millan, founders of the Cocoon Theatre Modern Dance Company, have made it their mission to cultivate dance in our area by exposing local audiences to modern dance while offering ongoing training to new dancers and choreographers. Their efforts came to fruition last weekend in a delightful concert of Andres' original choreography that will be given two more performances at 8 p.m. on October 3 and October 4 at the group's headquarters on Route 9 in Rhinebeck (across the street from Beekman Arms).
In an hour-long program titled, Listen, the company of seven dancers presented six short modern dance works. The provacative title, surprising for a dance concert, was suggested by a program quote from Emily Dickinson "...as if all the Heavens were a Bell, and Being but an Ear."
Andres San Millan opened the evening with a solo performance of "Upward Bound," danced to a stately violin concerto by Samuel Barber. Formerly a member of the Alwin Nikolai Company in New York City, the choreographer, dressed in a hand-painted leotard, moved in a slow, deliberate manner that drew our attention to the sculptural design of his body. Dramatic shadows on the backdrop heightened the effect. At one point, when he moved around the stage swirling a paper streamer, I was reminded of Isadora Duncan.
Four women (Carly Repko, Stasha Rosen, Magdalene San Millan, Susan Spadanuta) and one man (Kazim Ali) performed "Listen," an ensemble piece danced to a Bartok piano conerto, in which the choreographer created geometric patterns with the dancers' bodies. Clarity and simplicity of movement kept our focus on abstract bodies moving through space, rather than on a story line or choreographic detail.
One of my favorite segments was "Passage," danced by the choreographer and his talented 15-year-old daughter, Magdalene, to music by Bach. Dressed in a swirling white dress and tights, an adolescent girl danced with her father, who wore black pants and white shirt. They mostly danced parallel to one another, as though mirroring each other's movements. Only once do I recall there being any contact between the two dancers, yet the overall effect was surprisingly intimate. The piece ended with the two dancers backing away from each other.
"Soldiers of Tin," danced by the choreographer and Kazim Ali to music by Aaron Copland was a humorous piece, made even funnier by the serious demeanor of the two male dancers strutting and sparring in their red and black hates, white tuxedo jackets and striped tights. By way of contrast, "More than a Whisper," danced by Carly Repko, Stasha Rosen and Magdalene San Millan to a waltz by Aaron Copland, was a feminine, lyrical piece, quite lovely to behold as the three young women moved gracefully in their flowing skirts.
Finally, Marguerite San Millan soloed in "Full of the Night." Dressed in a black velvet sleeveless gown and trailing a swath of white satin, she moved in a sultry fashion to Victor Young's torch song, "My Foolish Heart." Marguerite's professional training was apparent in the precision of her movement and in her strong presence onstage. She was the only dancer to use a prop--a plain wooden bench.
The spacious theatre and portable vinyl dance floor make it an ideal space for dancers to practice and perform. Cocoon Theatre has already scheduled other dance productions in February and March. It also offers a wide-ranging program of dance classes for children and adults, as well as choreography and movement for actors.
Cocoon Theatre is located upstairs at 6384 Mill Street (Route 9) in Rhinebeck (across the street from Beekman Arms). Tickets for the concert on October 3 and 4 are $10. Call 845-876-6470 for information and reservations.