REVIEW: Men take center stage in Against the Grain/Men in Dance’s fall showcase at Broadway Performance Hall.

Photo by ©Angela Sterling Photography Title: Carveresque Choreographer: Donald Byrd Performer: Peter Boal

This last weekend was the opening weekend for the Against the Grain/Men in Dance showcase. In its eighth iteration in 17 years, Men in Dance is a celebration of men who have chosen a career in dance, a profession that the majority of society might consider unsuitable. Going against the grain of societal expectations, Men In Dance features the work of both male and female choreographers, covering a broad plethora of styles, concepts and themes.  In an overall enjoyable and innovate evening, Men In Dance manages to celebrate various backgrounds and talents of these performers, as well as the unique voice that men bring to the artistic world of dance. In an interview with choreographer and dancer Barry Kerollis, he said that “Men in Dance is different than a traditional dance show that you would go to for two reasons. First, Men in Dance is obviously a program that features only men dancing. Many fewer men dance than women because of socio-cultural ideas of what it means for a man to dance. Men in Dance celebrates those men that chose to take a leap into the world of dance. Second, the program is not a program of works that focus on a particular area of dance. The show features choreography in ballet, modern, tap, etc.”

Before the show, a short prelude featured an offbeat performance art piece, where the various performers explored the theme of “small spaces” and the physical limits of their bodies.  Also included in the prelude was a short tap number, featuring three talented teenage boys.

The captivating and intriguing portion of the show did not begin until Barry Kerollis’ Cypher kicked off the main portion of the evening.  According to Kerollis, “a cypher is a jam session where artists create a collective experience. When dancers cypher, you may see each taking turns in the center of a circle, contributing a unique style, then resting. The center of the circle is never empty and the energy of the cypher grows as the dancers push themselves into increasing levels of athleticism”.

Cypher was the perfect choice to open the main portion of the show. This was Kerollis first piece that he professionally choreographed outside of the Pacific Northwest Ballet. “Men in Dance is important for me because it is my first choreographic venture outside of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s annual choreographer’s showcase. It is important for me to have outside experiences and exposure to a broad audience. It was also great to be in a program with so many established local choreographers,” he said.

Photo by ©Angela Sterling Photography Title: Frattura (premiere) Choreographer: Deborah Wolf Performers: Jason Ohlberg, Ian Randall, Kelton Roth

Backed by a haunting tribal beat, Cypher was one of the pieces that most fully realized its theme throughout the progression of the entire piece. The bulk of Kerollis’ choreography evoked his immense classical ballet repertoire, but the power played on the progression of the piece overall and the interactions of the dancers. The progression of the movement layered upon itself as the piece progressed, as the dancers pushed themselves to their athletic limits.

Following Cypher was David Lorence Schleiffers’ Hillside, which was a music-free movement piece that seemed to display a group of youthful boys first exploring the world of dance.  In a piece that was obviously choreographed by a man, the bulk of the number was driven by fairly pedestrian (read: non-classical) movement.  Given the societal resistance that boys receive when first exploring the world of dance, this piece was both relatable and simply enjoyable to watch.

Unfortunately, not every piece was engrossing. Wade Madsen’s Breath of Light, as best as I could tell, depicted some sort of relationship. The progression of the piece was slow at best and the leather-clad, gay bar style costumes was distracting.  Me Over You followed, which was a humorous piece depicting an onstage rehearsal for a classical ballet company. I would almost label this piece as a spoof of classical ballet. While enjoyable, it was anvicillious and repetitive. Edit people!

In a show that showcased several pieces in which the movement and dynamic between large groups of performers were explored, it was hard to be completely enthralled by the solo numbers. Case in point: Ascent by Jason Ohlberg. While beautifully danced, the piece was backed by creepily religious music, which honestly distracted from the graceful movements of the soloist.

Photo by ©Angela Sterling Photography Title: Monster Choreographer: Olivier Wevers Performers: Andrew Bartee, Lucien Postlewaite

Olivier Wevers’ Monster was probably the highlight of the evening. In this excerpt from Whim W’Him’s upcoming modern ballet, Monster, depicted society as a “monster” that homosexuals feel rejected by and must hide from.  The haunting music, intimate choreography and an intense performance by dancer Lucien Postlewaite all evoked a powerful and painful response. The piece was completely captivating and managed to depict the tortuous relationship that gays have with the “monster”, as well as with themselves. Timely and moving, this piece was dedicated to the six gay teenagers who recently committed suicide in response to anti-gay bullying.