The opener, “EXit4,” is a great piece, if a bit overplayed, and pretty much everything that needs to be said about this tour de force from Roni Koresh has already been said (in my case, here and here). In fact, there was nothing new in Giordano’s engagement at all, but the newness that comes from seeing dances and dancers again from a different perspective cannot be overrated. I’ve had the pleasure of watching Giordano in the studio, but three performances at the 200+ seat Dance Center theater afforded the same opportunity to a public who rarely, if ever, sees the company this close. “EXit4” showed superbly here – with the dancers’ intensity at its usual volume I felt almost as though I was seated on stage watching the piece from the inside.
What I assume is an intentional programming shift has resulted in the mining of some archived works, including Gus Giordano’s 1978 “Wings” performed by the stunning Maeghan McHale. The 2007 “Pyrokinesis” closed the program, and could easily be considered a signature work with its electrifying pure jazz technique and sassy red oxfords. It was around the time this work was created that Giordano rebranded with the now recognizable red swish on black – mirrored here in Branimira Ivanova’s beautifully constructed costumes.
Last season’s “Shirt Off My Back” by Ray Mercer and Nan Giordano and Joshua Blake Carter’s co-creation “the only way around is through” filled out the evening, again showing off Ivanova’s exquisite costumes. “The only way around…” was created through a generous grant from the AbbVie pharmaceutical company and designed to promote advocacy and awareness about the Hepatitis C virus. While it’s difficult to create a dance so specifically tied to a cause or particular story, the intended themes or burden, stigma, and hope resonate clearly.
It would be great to see these dancers at the Dance Center all the time in the same way that it would be great to eat ice cream every day. Perhaps it is the novelty of this company on that stage that made this concert so special, and patrons following them back to the Harris Theater in April will likely share a deepened appreciation for “America’s original jazz dance company”. Moreover, performing at the Dance Center can be a blessing and a curse. While I’m guessing it was thrilling for the GDC dancers to actually see its audience and feel our energy, it’s a space that leaves no room for error. The close proximity shows every mistake, but by my calculation, they didn’t make any. For this viewer, that was worth standing up for.