PAM TANOWITZ

Day for Night, created and choreographed by Pam Tanowitz and performed by Morgan Amirah,
Marc Crousillat, Lindsey Jones, Brian Lawson, Victor Lozano, Sarah Elizabeth Miele, Maile
Okamura, and Melissa Toogood, experienced a memorable interruption from nature on opening night at Little Island.

The evening began with anticipation building even before the scheduled 8:30 start time. By
7:50, dancers dressed in bright green mesh suits and striped unitards began subtly integrating
into the pedestrian areas around the park’s hillside venue entrance. The audience, dispersed
from the base to the top of the curvy hill, included diners at food areas, strollers enjoying the
views, and those exploring the park’s unique imagery.

The dancers blended into the landscape until their vibrant attire and dancing gave them away,
and drew varying degrees of attention. Some spectators immediately recognized the performance,
their phones out to record, while others were caught off guard or simply curious
about the disruption unfolding before them. Some stopped to watch while others were mildly
oblivious, in conversation or simply walked past the dancers without thinking another thought
like “what is that?” or “what is going on?”

With a sound score of birds, cars, water, airplanes, and conversations, already it was no
ordinary performance. The scene was set for avant-garde movement that begged for eyes that
could pay particular attention, and minds that were particularly open to distractions from the
daily lull. Depending on the vantage point, viewers experienced the pre-show performance
uniquely—from casual observers at park tables catching glimpses of the dancers on the hillside,
to those already perched on the hillside, dancers dartied in and out of their conversations. No matter where their placement, it caused people to slow down and take it in.

The setting itself was striking: the stage backed against the city skyline and the Hudson River,
framed by a sunset that, despite the distant thunder and lightning, promised a display of color.
From the hilltop, the stage resembled a football stadium, with bleachers offering intimate
proximity to the performers, while the cityscape provided a magnificent glowing amber backdrop
as skyscraper lights turned on and evening descended.

As the performance unfolded, thunder rumbled closer, and lightning intermittently illuminated the
sky. The dancers, dynamically utilizing the entire stage and surroundings, were interrupted as
an announcement came over the intercom: the performance was to be canceled due to safety
concerns posed by the lightning.

The abrupt shift from artistic expression to safety protocol
underscored the unpredictability inherent in outdoor performances. It was also a treat however,
as everyone was immediately aware of how tuned in to the performance they were, the
announcement disrupting their gaze and focus, the lights coming up taking the stage from an
ambient world, back to its casual reality.

Despite the cancellation, the evening left an indelible impression. It celebrated the ephemeral
beauty of live performance in collaboration with the forces of nature—a reminder of the risks
and rewards of performing outdoors. The dancers’ electrifying presence, matched with the
electricity building in the air, transformed the stage into an experience that united performers
and audience in a shared, albeit interrupted, experience of artistic brilliance.

In retrospect, this interrupted performance of Day for Night proved every moment, whether planned or spontaneous, contributed to a unique and unforgettable narrative.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Emma Edy Morris