Urban Bush Women
February 18, 2015
As part of their 30th anniversary tour, the seven dancers of Urban Bush Women along with
pianist, George Caldwell, visited Overture Hall for an evening of
three dances in their trademark style, a fusion of African and
contemporary dance. Founder, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar contributed two
of the works, while former “Bush Woman”, nora chipaumire (who does not capitalize her name) choreographed the other.
Zollar's Hep Hep Sweet Sweet
opened the show. The piece blended voiceover text about Zollar's
memories of her mother moving from Texas to Kansas City, with live piano accompaniment, prerecorded songs from the jazz era, and live
singing from the cast. It became immediately evident that the scale
of the empty-feeling Overture Hall detracted from the intimacy and
intricacy of this dance. While the six dancers charged into the space
with bold sharp movements, jumping, turning, undulating spines,
flailing strong arms, even their bright flashy sequined costumes and
scat singing vocals could not help them maintain enough energy to
reach those scattered among the house. Moments of connection did
happen; one dancer dripping silkily over a chair singing a sultry
tune about Kansas City; each dancer taking a turn showing her virtuosity through a playful possibly hip-hop-inspired 'dance-off';
the barefoot group creating the impeccable detailed rhythms of a
complex tap routine. Loaded with elaborate ideas, but perhaps with an overall concept that was too personal, the dance felt mushy and lost on the
big stage.
Walking With Trane, Chapter 2,
Zollar's other contribution, featured the full company of seven in
homage to the jazz legend, John Coltrane. Caldwell accompanied this
piece on a grand piano at the side of the stage, playing his own
composition of soulful and passionate jazz. Dancers ran smoothly
through the space without much interaction, occasionally breaking
into small groups or solos. Reciting bible passages and
singing together gave the piece an element of modern spiritual.
Loose dark grey and black layered costumes left little room for
revealing the articulation of movement. Only flowing fabric was left
in the wake of quick torso and arm gestures. Dwarfed again by the scale of
the stage, the dancers were further reduced by the oversized costumes. Only Caldwell's impassioned playing held enough
interest to fill the room for the duration.
The evening's highlight came in the
middle of the program with dark swan choreographed by
chipaumire. Striking imagery and well-developed phrasing elevated
this dance to unique ground. Despite its minimalist use of space, the
dance resonated on a large enough scale to sustain its placement on
this vast stage. In an opening image, six dancers clad in mini
grass-skirt-looking tutus appear, facing away, shivering with tiny
hypnotic movement reminiscent of a water bird shaking its feathers
dry. Working in unison as a tight group, the shuddering develops
slowly to full body vibrating, as Saint-Saens The Swan plays
on repeat. The music shifts to Maria Callas, and later Sam Cooke, as
the shuddering subsides and takes on a softer melting quality.
Turning as a unit, the group leans gently into one hip, drawing their
hands down the front of their underwear-sized shorts, sensually
rolling shoulders to the side, and literally flipping the bird.
Commenting on and perhaps questioning femininity, and celebrating
sexuality and the female body, chipaumire's fearlessness brings acceptance and comfort to those watching, despite that it seems we
are witnessing young women burst into puberty before our eyes. The
dance is clever and oddly inviting, and helps showcase the virtuosity of the company.
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