The duo developed variations on a walking dance. Their issue seemed to be staying in unison, and Fleddermann Miller counted under her breath to keep track of the steps. Each woman stole moments to drop out or push herself forward. Just as the dance seemed to be winding down, they’d begin a new episode. Miller gestured and twisted for ages while standing on one leg, leaning against Cunningham’s hand. Cunningham sat in a chair but kept sliding down out of it. They joined in a ballet line, a kick chorus. Chugging and heaving, they rested a minute as Miller took off her shirt and waited for the audience to react. The climax passed. They soldiered on together.
Related:
Year in Dance: Reusable histories & durable trends, Stand-up choreography, Winged feet, More 
- Year in Dance: Reusable histories & durable trends
Conservation is a good thing in these times, and some of the most interesting performances drew on the uses of history — personal history, performance history, and even some inventions that sought to overturn history.
- Stand-up choreography
David Parker was born too late for vaudeville.
- Winged feet
Dance highlights from the fall season.
- Dishonorable Mentions
There is no higher First Amendment ideal than the right of protest.
- Dainty cabaret
Larry Keigwin’s genial take on the perennially popular theme of the four elements (water, fire, earth, air) didn’t add anything profound to the cosmic intelligence.
- Annie variations
The Bang Group's performance at Concord Academy Thursday night wrapped the audience in rings of intimacy and surprise. Choreographer/director David Parker, acting as MC, paid loving tribute to Summer Stages Dance, where he and the company have appeared and taught for 10 years.
- After-dinner nuts
The Christmas season careered to a finish January 5 at Concord Academy with yet another Nutcracker, sort of, the first complete Boston performance of David Parker’s Nut/Cracked.
- Fusion forms
Modern dancers who aren’t tethered to a specific technique can forage the whole world for useful movement and effects. We saw three completely different examples recently.
- 2009: The year in dance
You could say there were two tremendous forces that propelled dance into the world of modern culture: the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev and the choreography of Merce Cunningham.
- Happy feet
The architectural team of Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed the Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater at the new Institute for Contemporary Art as a 325-seat jewel box, its transparent walls allowing the Boston harbor and skyline to serve as a scenic backdrop or turn opaque as the performance requires.
- Fall on the boards
There are tours to the former Czechoslovakia, Romania, Italy, Iraq, the Aran Islands, and even the Underworld on area stages this fall.
- Less
Topics:
Dance
, Entertainment, Harvard University, Dance, More
, Entertainment, Harvard University, Dance, Performing Arts, Ballet, George Balanchine, David Parker, Paul Taylor, Modern Dance, Harvard Dance Center, Less
