Provocative Explorations of Relationships
This Thursday, Kate Weare Company brings to the Twin Cities two evocative pieces that explore the juxtapositions within relationships: evening-length work Garden and excerpts from Dark Lark. Founded in 2005 by Kate Weare, the company is based in New York. Weare, who also serves as artistic director, is known for her dances that explore contemporary views of intimacy as well as the seductive chemistry of the dancers onstage, which are evident in Garden and Dark Lark.
Garden, which was created in residency with The Joyce Theater Foundation, draws on primitive issues of hierarchy, collective identity, and safety amid the uncontrollable natural world. The piece features a large tree hanging upside down stage right and an enormous tree stump stage left, which the dancers often return to as if it were a sanctuary from outside violence. The four dancers in the piece navigate the intersections of sophisticated movement invention and physical interaction, commanding the audience with their artistry and ability to shift their dynamics on a dime. The piece is permeated with playful nuances, but at any given moment, a flirtatious frolic can be followed by a darker, more forceful energy. As Weare says, “There is an electricity in human interactions full of mercurial changes and contradictions. Through the different pairings, this piece looks not only at how we interact with each other, but also how we organize ourselves and handle the unknown.” The balance between good and evil is constantly shifting in this work, in a garden that can be dually lush or abandoned for a dark reality to unfold.
In Dark Lark, Weare draws her audience into a vibrantly charged world of fantasy. Through sensual movement and intricately woven phrases, she explores the usually hidden aspects of identity, imagination, and desire. The title Dark Lark plays with the classical relevance of the lark itself—a songbird revered for its endlessly creative array of mating tunes—and also riffs on the notion of going "on a lark"—doing something outrageous purely for pleasure. While alluding occasionally to the art and props of seduction, Weare’s intent comes through strongest in her choreography with the electricity generated in coupling phrases, showcasing dancers that are hyper-aware and in tune with the movements of one another. With minimal contact, the dancers are able to connect in way that send waves of subtle energy out to the viewer.
Preview the artistry of Kate Weare Company in this video before seeing the company perform this Thursday, December 25 at 7:30pm at The O’Shaughnessy.
Tickets available at The O’Shaughnessy box office or online here.
