Check out Nim Wunnan's astute analysis of tEEth's "Make/Believe," He is brand new to tEEth--and he really understands what Angelle and Phillip are getting at.

Click HERE!

In less than four weeks we are presenting the Portland debut of a flamenco company that has established itself as one of most stirring and authentic of all touring flamenco companies, Noche Flamenca. We are excited to introduce Soledad Barrio, the star, and widely regarded as one of the great dance artists today, flamenco or otherwise.

Why is White Bird, a contemporary dance presenting company, presenting flamenco, a dance and music art form that many would consider highly traditional? In past years we have presented Eva Yerbabuena twice in 2004 and 2006, a flamenco artist whose stark purity has gained admirers from many contemporary choreographers and dancers (most notably Pina Bausch). We also brought Nuevo Ballet Espanol (2006), featuring the dynamos Carlos Rodriguez and Angel Rojas.

   Soledad Barrio

Chunky Move's "Connected" opened on Thursday, October 18, at Lincoln Hall and ran for three performances. There has been a great deal of commentary on this work, including reviews from Catherine Thomas in The Oregonian, Ben Waterhouse in Willamette Week, and Barry Johnson in Oregon Arts Watch. These reviews are listed under our News Heading.

Nim Wunnan of Research Club and Sean Ongley contributed two very  perceptive blogs on the performance.

To read Nim's blog, click HERE.

His conclusion is worth highlighting--but do read the entire blog to appreciate his perspective:

"The skillful choreography of the show -- sculptural and not -- matters not as symbol or suggestion, but as movement and real action in space. It is remarkably effective at being the thing it is and making us care about it without having to relate it to something else we might more readily desire or comprehend."

Sean Ongley has contributed the following review, another interesting take on this fascinating work--

Barry Johnson just posted a highly analytical and astute review of Chunky Move's "Connected." Read it by clicking HERE.

Barry  is one of Portland's most astute arts writers, well known for his informative arts coverage in The Oregonian for many years, both as a writer and as an editor. He has now started Oregon Arts Watch, and we cannot be more delighted.

OAW brings a diversity of perspectives on the performing arts in the state, and especially Portland. White Bird  has assisted in the launching of Oregon Arts Watch, along  with10 other Portland arts organizations. Read Oregon Arts Watch regularly, and subscribe to the newsletter, free of charge at this point. 
CLICK HERE!.

Vertigo Dance Company Review
Mana, Vessel of Light

By Sean Ongley

This performance represents everything that I find unclear about the people and culture of Israel. The writer is the writing, and this writer writes his ignorance in to it. The dancers are the dance; the company is its environment. Israel is a modern nation in the heart of ancient civilization; posterity is impossible to ignore. The home of Vertigo Dance Company is Jerusalem, a controversial city in conflict with the Palestinian people. If, like this writer, you have never been there nor seen Vertigo (Dance), then you may be unclear as to the meaning of Mana, Vessel of Light – its final showing to run tonight, October 15th at the Newmark Theater.

White Bird is tremendously excited to present the West Coast debut of Vertigo Dance Company from Jerusalem, Israel, on October 13-15 at the Newmark Theatre in Portland. They will perform the North American premiere of  Mana, Vessel of Light, created in 2009 and considered a masterwork in Israel.

We asked Brian Schaefer,  an American currently writing and studying in Tel Aviv,  who is extremely knowledgeable about dance in Israel, to share his thoughts on the state of contemporary dance in Israel. We thank Brian for his illuminating essay, that will be included in the printed program for Vertigo.
 

Exploring Dance in Israel
Brian Schaefer

Brian Schaefer is a writer based in Tel Aviv. Israel and a board member of the Dance Critics Association.

 

Israel has grown up quickly. Within less than three quarters of a century, the young country has evolved from a communal, agricultural society in the early pioneering days to a technologically successful start-up powerhouse. In many ways the development of contemporary dance in Israel has mirrored changes in Israel itself over the past sixty-plus years. 
 

Another dance company from Israel? What is it about Israeli dance that we bring so much of it to White Bird? Last month we had Yossi Berg/Oded Graf's 4Men, Alice, Bach and the Deer, and on this Tuesday, we end our 13th season at the Schnitzer with Barak Marshall's "Monger."  And next season two more Israeli companies making White Bird debuts--Vertigo Oct. 13-15 and Yasmeen Godder March 29-31.

Simply put, Israeli dance is bold, physical, and exhilarating. It's wrong to generalize, but that's the overall impression Paul and I have had since we first saw Ohad Naharin's thrilling "Minus 16"--we brought this work 3 times, with Hubbard Street, NDT2 and Ohad's company Batsheva. Then Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak''s "Oyster"-- surreal, and unpredictable. (Click on the links to see YouTube video clips of these works!)

With Israeli work, the temptation is to read some political message. However, all the choreographers we presented or will present will say that you read what you want to read. There is really no political intent in the work.

What is it about Israeli contemporary dance that prompts us to bring four new companies within 12 months? This coming week we have the Portland debut of Yossi Berg and Oded Graf, in their thrilling 4Men, Alice, Bach and the Deer. Then on May 17 we end our 13th season at the Schnitzer with the Portland debut of Barak Marshall’s Monger, produced by the Suzanne Dellal Centre in Tel Aviv, the major dance center in Israel. Next October we introduce Vertigo Dance Company from Jerusalem with the U.S. premiere of Mana, and then we conclude our Uncaged season in March 2012 with the U.S. premiere of Love Fire by Israeli-American Yasmeen Godder.

Also not to forget. White Bird has presented Batsheva Dance Company and Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak Dance Company each twice in past years. Their home is the beautiful Dellal Centre (below). 

We are eagerly awaiting the return of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater after a long five-year absence. The company has received some of the best reviews ever, and they now have a wonderful new Artistic Director, Robert Battle, coming on board this July. Paul and I have known Robert for a long time, first with the Parsons Dance Company, and then with his own company Battleworks.  Robert has enormous energy,and clearly he has the vision to move the Ailey Company forward--he was specifically chosen by Judith Jamison, the dynamic leader of Ailey since 1989.

A very important aspect of all of our presentations of Ailey--we will be presenting the company the 4th time-- is that the company has inspired four of our Outreach Projects with Portland Public Schools, the cornerstone of our education and outreach activities. In fact our Projects began with Ailey back in 2001 when they offered us a student matinee show as part of the "package" that included two evening shows. What should we do with this show?

Tomorrow the wait will be over. Mary Oslund will unveil her newest work as part of the White Bird Uncaged Series at Lincoln Hall, and Paul and I could not be more excited.

This represents White Bird's 28th commission, and the second time we have commissioned Mary. The first time was back in January 2004, when she created "Volant." Some of you may recall that program which included a variety of work by Mary, and certainly we were delighted to present Mary for the first time with a cast of some of Portland's outstanding dancers.

We believe that Mary is one of the strongest choreographers not only from our region but from the States. When we were developing our focus on American Women Choreographers Past, Present and Future, more than a year ago, there was no question that Mary belonged in the group that included Martha Graham and  Lucinda Childs, two of the revolutionary figures in American modern dance. We asked Mary if she would create a major work for us, to be commissioned by White Bird, and we were thrilled that she said yes.