IN THE WAKE OF YES

Catherine Tharin’s 60-minute interdisciplinary performance, commissioned by Harrison J. Weisner, and presented by part of the Bang Group, featured live music by renowned pianist
Joel Forrester aptly performed by Dylan Baker, Hannah Kearney, Jenny Levy, Jack Murphy, and Daniel Morimoto (on film). A thematic film by Lora Robertson was projected between movement 10 sections. The piece blended dance, art, and language into a layered meditation on love and emotional vulnerability.

Each episode was like a chapter, walking us through Tharin’s journey in love. Strung together, they read
like a disconnected poem, and it’s charming that Tharin titled each with the dancers within them.
Allan Hunter composed the opening composition “The Bells of Notre Dame”, tingling with sounds of water, echoing instrumentals, and glimmering church bells.

Warm shin lights rose and introduced “Dylan’s Revelation”, a circular and contemplative solo danced by none other than Dylan! With thundering live piano, Hannah and Jack casually interrupted, as if unaware, shifting the energetic dynamic. No longer alone, Dylan danced in conversation, with “Hannah in the Middle”.

The three made percussive gestures on their bodies, posed in comedic statues, and wound around one another in a postmodern flow. Then Jenny ran down the diagonal signaling a scene change. Her solo was set to manipulated audio, a monologue warbling with extensive reverb in tune with the trance state of “Jenny’s Elegant Dream”.

Intimate partnering occurred with “Jack and Jenny in Nature”, a playful, and teasing duet. They hit sharp poses,, swung fosse hips, while gently partnering one another. When they left, the lights followed them, and a projection screen whirl overwhelmed the space. /

“Dark Behind The Glass” welcomed the audience to the cinematic world of Lora Robertson. Monologues read by Michelle Clayton and Patrick Fitzgerald followed the dancers through the city, where Robertson captured movement in silhouette, or overlaid upon trains and the ocean, with loose fabric billowing throughout different shots. Forrester came back with live piano as “Hannah and Jenny Drunk on Bach” started. The female duet was complimentary; whether in unison or breaking away, they were consistently connected.

Dylan and Jack interrupted with “Toward Yes”, where manipulated audio, nature sounds, and the motif of percussive movements returned “Yes, maybe no” was set to the repetition of “Yes”, over and over. The voices filled the space, as all four dancers took the stage. Two synchronous duets found the partners switching
between one another. The “yes”s slowed down, and then all four moved in unison.

Forrester returned for one last melody in “Patience”, guiding Hannah and Jack in the the final duet —
weaving through one another, until just Hannah remained. She twirled, arms wide open, embracing
the light, slowing as it dimmed.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Emma Edy Morris