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<\/a>The “Being (Ser)” number. Photo by Lawrence K. Ho, as is the one at the top of this page.<\/p><\/div>\n
But I was surprised to discover that Malpaso is a modern dance<\/em> company; I was expecting hot, colorful, sexy salsa movements, or at least something like that. Nothing about this company said \u201cCuba\u201d to me.<\/p>\n But all<\/em> of it said \u201cdance.\u201d<\/p>\n This particular program of four offerings was true<\/em> modern dance. Until I saw them, I had always felt that the term \u201ccontemporary\u201d in dance was\u00a0just the newfangled moniker for \u201cmodern.\u201d But the Malpaso show reminded me what modern dance is.\u00a0 It\u2019s a concentration on strange\/interesting\/surprising body movements, and that\u2019s what we got here, in spades.<\/p>\n Fielding Sixes<\/em>, an almost forty-year-old Merce Cunningham-choreographed number opened the show. I had studied with his company when I was a young dancer, and found his style to be not at all fun. So this looked pretty old-fashioned to me, although I could see the talent of the dancers.<\/p>\n Fielding Sixes. Photo by Lawrence K. Ho.<\/p><\/div>\n My favorite of the quartet was Ocaso<\/em>, a pas de deux choreographed by Malpaso Artistic Director Osnel Delgado, and featuring himself and Daile Carrazana. I have no idea what it\u2019s about, or if it means anything, but the buttery movement of the two dancers was fascinating to behold.<\/p>\n Ocaso dancers, Daile Carrazana and Osnel Delgado. Photo by Lawrence K. Ho.<\/p><\/div>\n The final number, Tabula Rasa<\/em>, which comprised the entire second act, was the most \u201cdance-y\u201d to me. For three-quarters of it. Near the end, the ten dancers did a super-slow, super-simple pendulum-type step, which was powerful at first, until I realized that the show would have ended five minutes earlier without it! It was like a line dance at an old-age home!<\/p>\n But after two of the previous three pieces having body suits as their costumes, this<\/em> wardrobe was a pleasant change of pace. The performers all rocked regular<\/em> clothing, like tee-shirts, jeans, and shorts. It actually helped me think of what to wear to a casual event the next day! No joke. (Not even an April Fool\u2019s one, which today is, in case you had not realized. So fair warning–beware if I call you!)<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>