Life as a Modern Dancer

Category: Dance in Review

  • Review/response: We came, We saw, They conquered

    We came, We saw, They conquered By Todd Courage The world premiere of Social Movement, a new collaborative work crafted by Molly Rose-Williams & Co., unfolded at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center in Berkeley on November 17th. The evening was a strange triptych of sorts: three distinct parts, only two of which were directed by Rose-Williams, claimed…

  • A Reflection on “Small Boobs” by Nora Sharp

    Nora Sharp. Photo by Naomi Ishisaka, courtesy of On the Boards. A Reflection on “Small Boobs” by Nora Sharp By Molly Rose-Williams It’s dark in the theater. The image of a warmly lit donut shop swims through my mind. The glow, the smell, the sweet, yeasty air as I step inside from the cold alley.…

  • Reflections on Twisted Oak Dance Theater’s “Constants & Variables: Second Homes”

    Photo: Robbie Sweeny A New Way To Make Home of A Home For So Many Reflections on Twisted Oak Dance Theater’s “Constants & Variables: Second Homes” By Molly Rose-Williams   I don’t know if this happens to you too – I’ve found that site-specific shows tend to begin as soon as I arrive. As I…

  • Reflections on “Onsite”

    Is there a fleeting window of time when dancers are at their optimum? Or is dance a lifetime practice wherein, animated by intent, it exists for all living bodies? I would lean toward the latter. In spite of my mindset though, dance, and its validity or relevant contribution, is largely looked upon as an art…

  • Reflections from “Nevertheless”

    By Molly Rose-Williams I gauge the wild success of Nevertheless, the newest work by ka·nei·see | collective in collaboration with Cat Call Choir, by the fact that every person I talk to about it has something to say. These are not one-line conversations. These are trails of reflection, streams of deeply-felt, often stunningly-coherent impressions that…

  • Repost: No One Can Teach You How to Write About Dance, by Eva Yaa Asantewaa

    From Blog Director Jill Randall: This week, Eva Yaa Asantewaa wrote and posted this magical piece of wisdom and integrity about writing about dance on her site. I asked Eva if she might allow me to repost it on my blog as well, since one of my big projects this year is boosting dance writing…

  • A Reflection on Stranger Lover Dreamer’s “3, 4, 5, 6, 1”

    7 – 3, 4, 5, 6, 1 – 9 A Reflection on Stranger Lover Dreamer’s “3, 4, 5, 6, 1” By Molly Rose-Williams Last Saturday I went to see “3, 4, 5, 6, 1," the newest work by dance collective Stranger Lover Dreamer (aka SLD aka Andrew Merrell, Elizebeth Randall Rains, and Shaunna Vella). In…

  • A Response to Tara Pilbrow’s “2+1”

    By Molly Rose-Williams When was the last time you straight-up, no holds barred, absolutely lost your mind at a dance show? I’m talking drool-worthy delight, gurgles of glee that escape unbidden, and a body that wiggles like joy incarnate. No? Me neither. But last Sunday at the matinee showing of Tara Pilbrow Dance’s 2 +…

  • CriticalMasses: Paufve Dance’s Event, 8x8x8 (Thursday, January 25th, 2018 at The Uptown in Oakland, CA)

    8x8x8 is one of Paufve Dance's hallmark events, now in its 11th iteration. Eight artists performing in a space approximately 8×8 in size…$8 for the event at 8pm at The Uptown in downtown Oakland, California. CriticalMasses is the latest layer of this Paufve Dance project – asking 8 people (participating artists and audience members alike)…

  • Reflection + Response: EAMES by Kristin Damrow & Company

    By Todd Courage EAMES, an evening-length dance work choreographed by Kristin Damrow, premiered at ODC Theater in San Francisco on January 25th, 2018. Ms. Damrow’s current company of five dancers, represented as four women and one man, performed the piece with confidence and commitment. The title and subject of the event, EAMES, addressed the iconic…