CONDER/dance and Collision

CONDER/dance demonstrates a level of professionalism that any other company in the valley has a hard time matching. Their show, Collision, wrapping up the 2007-2008 season is no exception, only reconfirming the strength and capability of this company.

Although the first piece, Verano, choreographed by Carley Conder herself, struggled momentarily in the beginning with timing and intensity, as soon as the music and movement picked up the dancers regained their composure showing the audience exactly what passion they instill into movement.

Other pieces choreographed by Conder were group piece Moving Target and trio The Private Sector. Both were athletic and exciting. Moving Target with fierce and animalistic undertones, while The Private Sector displayed flirty and fun vibes. Even thought the choreography was similar, the theme and mood of each piece was so varied the entertainment level still remained high.

The Conder dancers also performed choreography by Christina Harrison and Mary Fitzgerald. Harrison’s work The Defining Line and Ode to the Blue Nudes still impacted me in the same manner from the first time I saw them. They are completely inspiring pieces, both thematically and architecturally. The soloist in The Defining Line is captivating with her intense focus and clear sense of character. The combination of brilliant performance quality and choreography was touching. And of course Fitzgerald’s The Weight of Light never gets old no matter how many times I see it. That first explosion of light paired with the booming sound that casts shadows of the dancers on the back wall still gives me the goose bumps.

CONDER/dance graciously invited two Los Angeles based companies, Keith Johnson/Dancers and Nugent Dance, as well as Robert Dekkers from Ballet Arizona. The Conder dancers and choreography completely out-shined these guest companies. Keith Johnson’s, The Presence of Absence started strong with the dancers showing complete ease of intricately moving through, in and out of each other’s space. But this piece is long, very long. About seven minutes in, the repetition got to me and many other people in the audience. We all squirmed with anticipation for the end.

Stephanie Nugent’s soloist in Circa One had the incredible ability to clearly display contrasting dance elements. One moment she would be flighty and light, then suddenly shift into heavy and grounded. She would strike sharp and definite, then smooth things over. But even with her convincing performance, I was constantly distracted by the musicians setting up for Moving Target back stage. I kept wondering if the motion behind the scrim was suppose to be part of the solo or not.

And, I must say, for being dancers of Arizona’s most successful dance company, the Ballet Arizona dancers of IV:XI were a huge disappointment. Male dancer, Ryland Early, struggled with the transition of every body contact moment, both in and out, while female dancer Chelsea Saari had trouble finding her balance. The choreography was bland and uneventful with a very confusing and abrupt ending. Seeing Ballet Arizona’s name in the program was exciting. Unfortunately their presentation failed to live up to their name.

Regardless, it is always refreshing to see unfamiliar choreographers and dancers, even if their work was not at the same caliber of CONDER/dance.

All in all, this concert clearly shows that CONDER/dance strives for perfection on many levels. Artistically they are presenting movement that is athletic, but has a purpose and is meaningful. Technically their dancers are capable of handling both performance dedication and movement perseverance.

Cerrin, Phoenix, Server/Dancer