|
Border Talk, choreographed by Dawn Frank to "Syrinx" by Debussy, follows six dancers through a myriad of relationships as they move toward intimacy in varied forms and with different degrees of intensity. With trust falls, eloquent hand gestures, seamless unison, and deliberate partnering, this work deftly investigates shared solitude. (1996)
Replacement Procedure, a trio for women choreographed by Dawn Frank, charts the emotional paths of three women (mother, child, and unknown) whose lives intersect on an emergency room operating table. Set to a sound collage using a human heartbeat and "Spectre" by John Oswald, "Replacement Procedure" is an eerie exploration of the cusp shared by birth and death. (1996)
Wall, original concept and design by Hilary Bryan, is an improvisation developed and performed by Hilary Bryan and  Dawn Frank. The two dancers are separated by a huge black plastic wall created from recycled garbage bags. The shimmering black plastic is hung before the piece begins, and it defines the performance space and the dancers' relationship to each other. The barrier is first accepted, and then tested beyond endurance as the performers desperately seek to understand who the person on the other side is. (1995)
Alone I Walk is a solo voice and movement improvisation created by Hilary Bryan. "Alone I Walk" is a Russian song, and the lyrics are a poem by Mikhail Lermontov. (1994)
I step alone onto the road;
Through the mist the rocky path glistens;
The night is still. The desert attends to god,
And star speaks with star.
In the heavens majestic and awesome!
Sleeps the earth in a blue haze...
What is it for me that is so painful and so difficult?
What do I await? What do I regret?
I expect nothing more from life,
Nor do I regret my past one bit;
I seek freedom and peace!
I should like to forget (myself) and go to sleep! But not that cold sleep of the grave...
I should like for ages to sleep,
So that in my breast would course the forces of life.
So that my breathing breast would gently rise.
So that all night, all day caressing me,
A sweet voice would sing to me of love,
So that forever green above me
A dark oak would bow and rustle.
--Mikhail Lermontov, 1841
Literal translation by Hilary Bryan
Original Russian and other translations are available
|
White Wall, a collaborative duet created by Hilary Bryan and Dawn Frank, explores the dynamics of an intimate relationship's beginnings, from the real need to share pasts and divulge secrets to the subsequent hedging and withdrawal. "White Wall" uses outrageous props, pedestrian gestures, and elegant dancing to explore the nature of trust. Clad in paper towels taped together like dresses, the two dancers are drawn to each other, and then repulsed as they confront the boundaries between them. Enormous sheets of plastic dropcloth create a "white wall," which is an accessible metaphor for the boundary between trust and violation. (1995)
When She Was Twenty-four. Playful gestures, athletic partnering, expansive dancing and theatricality  provide a glimpse into the mother/daughter relationship and the responsibility of motherhood. The score for this poignant duet includes Bach violin partitas, the Transylvanian gypsy music of Musikas, and 5 year old Hilary Bryan's
voice.(1993)
More satisfying texturally is the work When She Was, which pays homage to Bryan's mother as she is about to embark on the journey of motherhood. The richness of Bach's music is enhanced by the ebb and flow of the movement, and the directional and tempo shifts, as if Bryan is seeking to portray a vacillation between joy and fear at the impending event.
Jenny Stevenson, The Dominion, Wellington, New Zealand, 3/10/97
bound, a trio for women choreographed by Dawn Frank, delves into the complexities of three women's relationships with their breasts, their bodies, each other and their audience of voyeurs. (1992)
Pink Slip is a solo with three supporting characters choreographe d by Hilary Bryan. This contemporary fairy tale tells the story of a dreamy yuppie who finally lands her fantasy job. Her enthusiasm deteriorates into madness, however, as she succumbs to the tedium of her tasks. She gets fired -- stripped of her prized business card (and more!!) -- and flies into a fury of self-doubt and confusion. The strong dance narrative is accompanied by Walt Disney favorites and Tom Waits, as well as found office sounds and live vocals. (1992)
|