Kayla Xavier

RVA Dance Collective capped off their 12th season with a striking performance at Dogtown Dance Theatre. Christopher McDaniel tells us all about it.

On Friday May 31 and Saturday June 1, RVA Dance Collective held their twelfth annual concert, entitled Four Seasons, at Dogtown Dance Theatre. The concert encapsulated their twelfth season as a professional modern dance company.

The company’s Artistic Directors, Danica Kalemdaroglu and Jess Burgess, not only choreograph original pieces on the dancers every year, but they invite new choreographers to set new work on the dancers, as well. Four Seasons featured work from Burgess and Kalemdaroglu alongside pieces from company members Shannon Comerford, Kayla Xavier, and Desmin Taylor. The guest choreographers for RVA Dance Collective’s 2018-2019 season were Kevin Jones, Artistic Director of CLAVES UNIDOS, and Kelly Hamlin, Artistic Director of KrasH!Dance.

While each number of the night had its own flair, a few stood out to me for their artistic merit and excellence:

“Dissolution”
Choreographed by Jess Burgess, Performed by Marissa Barber, Shannon Comerford, Amil Giunti, Erika Hahn, Kelly Hamlin, Monte Jones, Michelle Koppl, Lindsay Benson Garrett, Katy McCormack, LaWanda Raines, Jasmine Tubach, and Kayla Xavier.

I have become such a fan of larger group works that highlight the capacity of awesome effects from 15 people moving on stage — sometimes in sync, but oftentimes not. When this piece began, each dancer stood huddled facing the audience, moving one at a time, like a breathing organism. The theme ran throughout the number, juxtaposing partners with mirrored parts. Special shout out to all of the costumes and score for the production.

“B.F.F.”
Choreographed by Kayla Xavier, Performed by Marissa Barber, Jess Burgess, Erika Hahn, Michelle Koppl, Lindsay Benson Garrett, and LaWanda Raines

The most lighthearted piece of the night, “B.F.F.” was an extended group piece set to a live recording of a jam session from Phish. With imagery mimicking The Breakfast Club, friends slept and partied and showed true individualistic personality through dance. Choreographer Xavier made something special that remains my favorite of the night. I would like to see more works like this being made.

“And Again”
Choreographed by Danica Kalemdaroglu, Performed by Marissa Barber, Jess Burgess, Shannon Comerford, Erika Hahn, Michelle Koppl, Lindsay Benson Garrett, Katy McCormack, LaWanda Raines, Jasmine Tubach, and Kayla Xavier

By far the most complex dance of night, “And Again” is an ode to the relentless force of struggle. Set to a score from Vivaldi, the dancers were angry and showed their discontent through interactions with other dancers. The costuming was split into two colors, and was the glue that held the piece’s themes together for me. Just when you think it’s over, they start dancing again. And again.

Dogtown Dance Theatre’s next large event will be National Dance Day, Saturday July 27. On this day, every single class is offered for free and everything is available to take. More info can be found at dogtowndancetheatre.com.

Top photo: “B.F.F.” by Mike Keeling

For the 6^th annual Richmond Dance Festival’s finale, the third weekend’s performance on May 10 and 11 sported heartwrenching and joyous solos. The first show incorporated many different forms of dance, and the second show strongly hosted a majority of modern duets and company pieces. The final weekend differed only in terms of the number of people performing on stage, and was the strongest weekend yet, featuring some of my favorite solos to date.

“A Solo for 206 Performers,” Choreographed and performed by Michelle Koppl

With a title that tips its hat to the exact number of bones in the human body, Koppl made me uncomfortable in the most pleasant way possible. In Koppl’s words, her solo “explores the relationship between the mind and the body in motion,” and I could feel her breathe as she performed. At one point, she turned to the crowd and slowly scanned the audience with wide eyes and an open mouth; a haunting scene still vivid as day.

“Shape in Water,”Choreographed and performed by Allen Xing

Xing is a one of those dancers you imagine when you picture a dancing career. He has travelled and studied in various parts of the globe, and he has performed in many more. Currently based in Baltimore, Xing brought this immersive solo to Richmond. It is a performance reminiscent of water, lit with five blue spotlights at alternating spots on the stage, giving the image of Xing dancing underwater. His most spectacular move was a jump split with a four-foot vertical.

“Midnight Margarita,”Choreographed and performed by Kayla Xavier

This half performance art/half modern dance solo was served to the audience as comic relief. Most audiences and even dancers can have an air of pretentiousness about them, and Xavier tears it all down with one piece. Acting as an intoxicated partygoer who just arrives home, the dance was full of laughs as Xavier mimed pouring herself another glass, vomiting, and literally spinning out of control. Her entire performance was lit by a lone spotlight, and it just felt right.

“Singkilan,”Choreographed by Dhol Tuason and performed by Sayaw! Diversity

Taking a reprieve from the solos of the final weekend of the 2019 Richmond Dance Festival, the production’s final piece of the night was a group piece featuring over 20 performers. “Singkilan” is a traditional Filipino dance, broken into three sections comprised of three sets of performers. From young to old, Filipino men and women showed Richmond a rich culture that rarely gets the spotlight. More of this please.

With the conclusion of the Richmond Dance Festival, Dogtown Dance Theatre’s annual programming comes to a close. The 2019 Dogtown Presenter’s Series will take place this September, and it will be feature one local choreographer, who has yet to be announced. Find out more at dogtowndancetheatre.com.

Top Photo by Dave Parrish

RVA Dance Collective Moves Through Four Seasons

Richmond Dance Festival 2019, Weekend Three: A Night Of Solos