The Kelly-Strayhorn Theater bustled with action Friday night, as it seems to do even more so these days. Rather than the same group of dance enthusiasts mingling in the lobby before the show, it seemed as if new faces explored the space, observed the visual art on display, and enjoyed light snacks and libations from the bar.
Staycee Pearl, Artistic Director of SPdp, presented her evening length work, “circle POP,” a piece inspired by the cyclical nature of pop culture and its effect on us.
“The project was our most complex of the season,” Janera Solomon (Executive Director of the KST) said of Pearl’s piece. Whatever skepticism Solomon had, she vowed to support her artists “unconditionally,” a lovely sentiment and refreshing attitude.
The collaboration was bold. Pearl used the seven dancers from her company, as well as two special guests, and seven kids from the community (a few under 10). The work also utilized sound designer, Herman Pearl, video designer, Carolina Loyola-Garcia, extensive costuming by Kelly Simpson-Scupelli and lighting by Bob Steineck. All need to be mentioned because of the large part they played in pulling off the show.
Pearl said the piece was an “evolution of past work,” that she worked to be brave this time and “try new things with the dancers.” Influenced by the young people she teaches in the community, she realized that pop culture is all about them, and how exactly our youth are shaped by modern day society.
The work brought everything to the table - a smorgasbord of snapshots, scenes and happenings in one hour(ish) long show. Video images projected on large white screens displayed images of celebrities - much like a collage of People magazine covers over the decades. The result created a “buzz” effect that begged the question, “Why are we obsessed with Bristol Palin and her performance on Dancing with the Stars when we can watch live art at our local theater?
The women of the company were brilliantly styled by Simpson-Scupelli. They all wore similar wigs, long black “hair” with blunt bangs - trendy for the times. Instantly, the image of Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” 80’s video came to mind, when seemingly cloned women danced seductively behind the lead singer with a blank-faced “come hither” stare. Although our culture does have a cyclical nature, Pearl reminded us that skirts have gotten shorter, and dancing more suggestive.
In one section, her dancers wore gold bras and tight pants, moving at the front of the stage with thrusting and gyrating hips - a purposeful lack of artistry. The point proved that “dance” in a music video isn’t far off from the lewdness of pornography.
One standout of the evening came when four teenage dancers from the Alumni Theater Company expressed themselves with honestly and creativity in a quartet suggestive of YouTube culture. In a world where millions of kids create videos of themselves dancing, singing or just talking with the hope of becoming famous, the desperation is alarming.
Pearl’s dancers came across as just the opposite. Each performer stood in front of a large screen that projected an image of their face. The recorded text of their voices played while they took their turn with solo material.
One dancer spoke of her desire to perform on Broadway. “I want to smile until my teeth hurt,” she said. “But I don’t want a lead role, because I don’t have the chops for that.” Her truthfulness and self-critique came as a welcome surprise. Another dancer spoke of himself as a “vessel of artistry,” evidence that there are still young artists out there who are interested in the craft and not so much the fame.
Although “circle POP” culminated Pearl’s year-long residency at the theater, look for her work to be presented at the Kelly-Strayhorn with more frequency, as she is currently working out the details to present on a regular basis.
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