‘Slam’ bridges cultures
with lively blendsYesterday's story
By Vivien Lee
Special to the Star-BulletinTAU Dance Theater's final concert of the year, directed by Peter Rockford Espiritu, is an entertaining and thought-provoking evening of modern dance, traditional folk dance, and not-so-traditional "ethnic-inspired" dance and music.
Espiritu's strong modern dance company performs three pieces. Special guest artists fill the rest of the concert with hula; Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Native American and Cuban-inspired dance; taiko drumming; sitar and koto music; Hawaiian music; and more.
What is "ethnic" dance and music? How much can traditions be changed before a dance is no longer traditional? What then is it when just an essence is left?
What do we call Darryl Thomas "Road Warrior," an athletic mix of break dancing, hip hop, posturing and modern dance set to a tape collage of speech, rap, classical music and pop? With dread locks flying and black skin revealed beneath a black leather and metal costume, he poses the question: Is this dance a product of his heritage and culture? Can it be considered an ethnic dance?
TAU DANCE THEATER:
'CULTURAL SLAM'When: 8 p.m. today and tomorrow
Is Paul Taylor's "Pavane for 1," danced beautifully by Rachel Berman, an ethnic dance because it contains fleeting moments of classical Indian dance? Is an occasional flexed wrist and foot enough to make it so?
The concert's title, "Cultural Slam, an Ethnic Revolution" implies insurrection, radical change and convulsion. A more appropriate subtitle would be "an Ethnic Evolution," implying development and natural growth, or "an Ethnic Revelation," implying unveiling and revealing. The richness, variety and universality of dance is revealed to us through the fine performances of all. Whatever changes have been made are based on respect, not rebellion.
Espiritu's "Kala'au" is a good example of embellishment on tradition. The long and short kala'au (sticks) are used much as they are in hula kahiko, pounding the floor, tapping against each other, creating music from the combination of sounds. But the costumes, by Joan Rohrback, have a very modern edge to them: dried ti leaf mini-skirts, tapa bras, floor length tapa loincloths, and heavy black work boots. The dancers' hairstyles range from frizzy, to spiky, to multi- braided. The alterations were just enough to give the piece its bite. An asymmetrical freeze at the end was exciting because it contrasted so starkly with the traditional symmetry of the rest of the dance. More such changes to the conventional motion would make this dance even better.
The only dance that was non-ethnic was Austin Hartel's "Vastus Sylva," danced with wit, humor and a lot of muscle by Quinn Allen, Holly Chung, Squire Coldwell, Esther Izuo, Ann Smith and Espiritu. The seal section, complete with barks and burps, topped the playful dance.
Professionals and amateurs, younger and older, traditionalists and innovators, all combine to produce this wonderfully varied program. And is it only in Hawaii where you can see Hawaiians doing modern dance, hear a koto and sitar duet, watch Caucasians dancing Korean folk dance and playing taiko drums, and hear a Chinese flamenco guitarist? It's all here.
Vivien Lee has a master's degree in dance
from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. she teaches creative
movement and music in Hawaii elementary schools.
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