THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409290187
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARLENE FORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Dancers defy gravity or attempt to for fleeting moments. Certain visual artists can also make heavy metal or dense rock rise above its pedestal - or so it seems.
From a collaboration between a variety of artists who especially like to create those lighter-than-air illusions comes a new work titled ``Living Sculpture.'' It is the featured work in the Cordova Dance Theatre's premiere concert at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Regent University Theater.
Sitting in the darkened university theater, company director and choreographer Beverly Cordova Duane was enthusiastic about the work. She explained the origins of ``Living Sculpture'' and the new dance company.
``I met the artist, Barry Johnston, here at the opening for one of his bronze sculptures,'' she said. ``It's called `Community,' and it's right here in the Regent University Library. There are eight figures, each connected to each other and each ascending a little higher.''
Flipping through one of Johnston's exhibit catalogs, she came to the page with a glossy photograph of the bronze. ``Look,'' she said. ``I'm just sure many of his models were dancers themselves, and I was inspired by that piece to choreograph a new work.''
Not only was Duane inspired by that work, but by about 40 other sculptures of the Baltimore artist.
Through consultations with the sculptor and 50 slide projections of his figures, Duane worked with multi-media specialist Kenneth Wright to create the new presentation. To the music of Rachmaninoff, three dancers interrelate with each other and the images of those sculptures as they're projected against the back of the stage.
While Duane watched the rehearsal of ``Living Sculpture,'' she smiled at the grace and athleticism of movement; at the interpretation of the sculptures' spiritual and physical presence. Then grimaced.
``Oooh, the slides are out of sync? Let's just stop for now,'' she called to the dancers. ``This is still our tech rehearsal. . . .''
After a few minutes of re-coordinating all involved, she said, ``I've worked with actors, with live musicians, with artists and it's always more difficult working in collaboration. It's also worth it.''
Duane emphasized this fledgling company isn't looking for the easy or the tried and true. Her gathering of adult dancers, culled from many of the area's larger dance companies, is hoping to take modern dance one step beyond.
She conceded, ``Yes, our first dance concert is on the traditional side. But as we continue, as we have the audiences, we're going to be more contemporary than modern dance.'' She added, ``First, we know the rules, then break them.''
Duane lives in Hampton Roads, but comes from New York state. She remains artistic director of Floorplay Contemporary Dance Theatre, which is based in Buffalo. Locally, she serves on the faculty at Regent University, the Governor's Magnet School for the Arts and performs her own solo dance repertoire throughout Virginia. Her recent work, ``Beauty for Ashes,'' won acclaim at the second annual National High School Dance Festival in Miami.
The program this weekend contains a total of eight dances; six are premieres. Another piece on the program, ``Wild Fruits,'' is a trio with a Spanish flair. There's also a goofy spoof on pregnancy, complete with bouncing balloon tummies and a token male dancer, to the operatic ``La donna e mobile.'' The dance is titled, ``The Woman is Mobile.''
Guest artists are Elbert Watson, formerly of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, performing a spiritual dance interpretation, and the Virginia Ballet Theater. In addition to Duane, other choreographers are Watson, George Nunes and Melody Ward. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Choreography is by Beverly Cordova Duane
Photo courtesy CORDOVA DANCE THEATRE
``Living Sculpture'' is the featured work of Cordova Dance Theatre's
premiere concert on Friday and Saturday at Regent University.
WHEN AND WHERE
Cordova Dance Theatre presents ``Living Sculpture,'' a dance
concert, at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday at Regent University
Theater. Admission is $8; $5 for students and groups of 10 or more.
Call 579-4223.
by CNB