Ranting Details: Tapping My Way Down

Sunday was an especially rough day health wise, but I knew that I had to muster up the energy to go see my sister perform in the River to River festival in Battery Park. I stayed in bed all day conserving energy and when the time came I jumped on the subway to journey much further downtown than I usually venture. Somehow I've gone through the past few weeks completely unaware of this wonderful summer festival presented by the Joyce. The festival is a weekend long performance series presented on a wonderful sized stage and is completely free of charge for the public.

When I arrived Sunday evening, people had already begun congregating on the grass in front of the stage and by the time the performance began, a healthy size of a crowd was there to cheer on some of the city's best tap dancers. Over the past year I've had the privilege to meet many of them so with each consecutive performance, I feel like I have more of an emotional investment in all of the performers. That being said, there are still some qualms with the evening presented at River to River. The program consisted of many Tap City regulars (Barbara Duffy, Tony Waag, Dewitt Flemming, and Karen Callaway Williams among others) but it would be nice to see a little more variety in the programming. The evening became the most exciting with some of the younger dancers and while I am all for preserving classic tap, some duplicate solos seemed a bit excessive.

That being said, I am constantly in awe at what tap performers can capture my attention and the others who fail to win me over. With the brilliant opening of Derick K. Grant and Michelle Dorrance, we saw some of the hottest tappers performing today improvising expressive extensions of their personalities. Nothing seemed forced, or aimed to be pleasant just to please an audience, instead they served straight forward intricate rhythms that took the audience's breath away. They both have especially unique physicality which at times find them hunched over in competition with the floor and at other times extended upright and projecting to the audience. After such a great opening, it was a hard act to follow.

(The Statue of Liberty far in the distance.)

Of course part of me is bias, but I have to say how much I enjoy Barbara Duffy's choreography. While it is very different from the harder edge of someone like Michelle Dorrance's dancing, it takes classic tap and updates it to suit a contemporary audience. Each successive performance I see of hers makes realize how musical her choreography is and her talent at presenting groups of women very well. Her work on Sunday evening, "In the Groove," was a straight forward ensemble work with exciting drumming by Bernice "Boom Boom" Brooks. Carson is so perfectly suited to Duffy's style, and she has one of the most vibrant and exciting stage presences I've ever seen. Of course, she's my sister, but I don't think I'm alone in this feeling.

Throughout the rest of the evening, there were moments of excitement including Dewitt Fleming Jr.'s "Transatlantic Rhythm" but also several puzzling selections. Even though the stage itself, including a wonderful sound system, presented the dancers better than the slightly stifled feeling of the Duke, the program itself couldn't match the excitement of "Tap to the Future." Mabel Lee's infectious presence was sorely missed but overall it was a great evening on a perfect late summer evening. It started getting me excited for the next festival I will be attending, "Fall For Dance," the incredible series of evenings at City Center for which I just bought all of my tickets! Can't wait.

(The video above features Michelle Dorrance and Derick K. Grant as well as Barbara Duffy's "In The Groove." My sister is the one on the far right in that number. Enjoy!)

Comments

Wow! Thanks for sharing that video. Michelle and Carson were awesome! I can't get over how quick Michelle's feet are. No bias here either :). I mean she could kill someone with those tap shoes!

And that post about you learning how to drive was hilarious! You are Carson and so cute because you guys look so much alike! Thanks for posting this!

Posted by: Natalie D. | September 11, 2007 at 04:36 PM