Dancer With An Attitude
Imperial Acrobats of China
The word acrobat conjures up images of super bendy bodies balancing on one limb or tiny people with super hero strength facilitating multiple twists and turns in the air. The definition of an acrobat according to Merriam-Webster is ”one that performs gymnastic feats requiring skillful control of the body. This is in fact, what we got on stage at the Ferst theater on Sunday.
In 1994, the Imperial Acrobats of China were formed by Yan Zhao and Guy Caron. This company is known for bringing light to the authentic culture of China and Shaolin Gung Fu. This performance, Chi of Shaolin: Tale of the Dragon, is the journey of a common thief. Hurt during his crime, he is found by a Shaolin Monk, taken to the temple and on the path to enlightenment.
Along the way we encounter Tai Chi, Qigong, Kung Fu, modern dance and contortion to name a few of the acts. Some of the best highlights involved natural elements, like the frog solo, with the performer springing high in the air and landing on his turned out knees. One of the most breathtaking moments was a single contortionist costumed as the top branches of a winter tree. She spent the whole time balancing on one appendage – if it’s her arm the rest of the body is upside down, legs in full split or wrapped around the torso in some unnatural yet graceful way.
There was sword play, the breaking of hard objects with body parts, beautiful costumes, dancing Chinese dragons and the balancing of many lit candelabras. The part that makes this more than a circus show is that there is also a decent story to tie it all together. Everything you need for Far East family fun.
The raw space at the Goat Farm is set up with four see through scrims hanging from the ceiling, situated in a square, to separate the performers from the audience. Seats are arranged in the round, meaning all the way “a round” where the action was about to take place. The first question of the evening is to figure out which side of the room we want to experience this evening from. Obviously, there is no right or wrong… just questions.
On June 7th, I found myself asking a lot of questions at the World premiere of T. Lang Dance Company’s performance of Post Up. The cast of nine extraordinary women were uniformly exposed in white bras and cherry red leggings. The uniformity brought to mind a complex woman or many women in a similar situation, perhaps battered or in a prison. An inquiry later enhanced by zig-zagged projections on the fabric we were looking through. The tastefully sparse costumes highlighted the performers’ beauty and I was reminded of how majestic women are, in all iterations, with different curves, hair lengths, textures and hues of skin.
The tone in this screened in cage was desperate, sad and played with themes of struggle and vulnerability but through it all a feminine strength became apparent. Not only through the athleticism of these prodigious artistic athletes but in an instinctual comradery that naturally exists between woman, especially at times of crisis.
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