Waterfront Theater
Often, some of the coolest experiences are found in the most unexpected places.
Yesterday I saw the 360º Dance Company perform—at the South Street Seaport, a pier on the East River. Part of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Sitelines series, the dancers laid a piece of white marley over the wooden pier and gave a picturesque performance before a backdrop of blue sky, blue water and stately-looking boats. The most surprising aspect of the performance, for me, was discovering that Lauri Stallings, whose work I wrote about for an upcoming Pointe web exclusive, had created Maktub, the piece that was being performed. Her choreography is such an innovative amalgamation of ballet and modern. For example, Maktub was full of quick, quivering hand gestures and shifts of weight that are definitely not part of the classical realm. Nevertheless, movements such as clean à la seconde turns and strict sissonnes found their way into the piece, proving that Stallings’ choreography still makes use of ballet technique.
Curious to hear more about Stallings’ work, I approached the dancers after the performance. They described how Stallings has an incredible attention to detail and a desire to incorporate drama into her work. They said she expects a lot from her dancers because she brings so much to the table when she works on a piece. She even designed the costumes for Maktub: patterned, knee-length skirts for all four dancers—two women and two men—with solid-colored tops for the women. The dancers also spoke about how Stallings emphasizes an exaggeration of movement so that even those who are watching from a distance are able to feel the emotion.
So keep your eyes open. You never know where you are going to find dance.
