JOHN SCOTT DANCE AND MEI MERCIER

Choreographer John Scott and composer Mel Mercier’s Begin Anywhere paid tribute to the
iconic partnership of choreographer Merce Cunningham and composer John Cage. Ten years in
the making, and in collaboration with the Merce Cunningham Trust and the Irish Arts Center,
Scott and Mercier revived Cunningham solos and created a new piece inspired by Cunningham
and Cage’s artistic universe.

The evening began with solos by Cunningham, set to John King’s 100tone-candles. Changeling,
danced by Francois Malbranque, featured expansive and controlled movement, shifting bounds
of energy throughout the space. The piece transitioned to Solo, danced by Boris Charrion, in
which dissonant, animalistic movement beautifully disrupts expectations of the human body.

Lindsey Jones then performed humorous solos from Antic Meet, one involving an umbrella and
another with quick, lively footwork. Her subtle comedy elicited light giggles from the audience,
adding a layer of joy to the evening’s exploration of Cunningham’s legacy. While each solo
included in this night came from a different year in Cunningham’s career, the stagers from the
Cunningham Trust did a fascinating job arranging the soloists to interact with one another: 1957
danced with 1975 who danced with 1958.

As the evening progressed, the audience was introduced to Scott and Mercier’s Begin
Anywhere. This new piece, a collaboration of dance and live music, replaced the earlier
soundscape with an audio machine and four improvising musicians. The lighting was indicative
of the interchanging tones of the piece — bright, explosive, soft, muted, curious, and exhausted.
Dancers moved in and out of unison, in and out of emotional states, from slow, provocative
gestures to an explosive, playful game of tag. The atmosphere deepend as the dancers vocalized,
counting in various languages and monologuing, before collapsing in exhaustion upon reaching
number 100.

The soundscore, engineered by Donncha Moynihan, featured voices from former Cunningham
dancers reflecting on their experiences, blending the past with the present. Moynihan sewed
together people’s experiences through the way they spoke about it when asked to reflect, and
dancers and musicians were simply doing it in real time. They were interweaving their
experiences by simply existing together on stage, all at once.

Scott and Mercier’s work blurred the lines between dancer and musician, allowing for a rich,
interconnected experience. Mel Mercier captured the essence of the perspective, describing
that it is “an extraordinary way to experience life: as a dancer”. The performance culminated in a
standing ovation, as dancers spun, arms wide, wrapped in sound and experience.

Patricia Lent of the Cunningham Trust, whose voice was one of many included in the
soundscore, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the dancers’ ability to inhabit and honor
Cunningham’s legacy, making it their own in a truly special evening.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Emma Morris