Body Politics

On Friday I was at the Fleck Dance Theatre for proartedanza's first narrative work. Though more rooted in classical techniques than other contemporary dance companies, their previous performances were still typically conceptual. But tonight with Figaro 2.0, they added story-telling to their choreography.

It was a mixed result for me. I liked their use of silent movie titles to introduce the characters, and later, to quickly recap some of the sub-plots. Their dancing was as strong and physical as always. Of particular note was the fraught dynamics between Susanna (Victoria Mehaffey) and The Count (Daniel McArthur).

With their more abstract work, the audience does the heavy lifting in interpretation. With this narrative piece, proartedanza is the one that has to do the work. And the choreographer couldn't quite plumb the emotional depths. But for a first attempt, it was still enjoyable. Overall, this expressive interpretation of The Marriage of Figaro, gave those of us who may balk at the problematic libretto especially in the #MeToo era, an entry into the beautiful music.