This was the sixth year for the BlakTina Festival presented by the Bootleg Theater and Producer Licia Perea. It was my third time reviewing the festival and each year the choreography and the performances get stronger. One reason may be that Perea now requires that any artist presenting a new work must attend BlakTina’s once a week workshop where works are shown, and the choreographers receive feedback from their colleagues and their work is adjudicated by a panel of professional dance artists. From what I saw last night at the Bootleg Theater, the process is working.

The program consisted of nine dances with no intermission, and it was run like clockwork. The production end of BlakTina 6 was professional and the dancers well-rehearsed for their performances as well as the transitions between pieces.

This year, two of the choreographers were from Phoenix, AZ., a sister city for BlakTina Festival. One of those choreographers, RaShawn Hart choreographed and performed in the first work, and he set the bar high for the other artists. Resist was a quiet but firm protest, with brief, intense glances from Hart as he paused between movements. He is a beautiful mover who managed to move across the floor, up and down from it with a softness that is rare. That quality, however, did not diminish the impact of his work. He fused together several hip-hop styles with contemporary dance, including a rapid-fire hand dance across his seated body.  The ending spoke dramatically to the work’s title, Resist. Hart stood still, defiant and proud as the light faded. Resist was set to music by Andy Stott.

Homeless was choreographed by Kassy Francis to music by Paul Simon with Lady Blacksmith Mambazo. Francis began by explaining her mixed-race heritage and the influence a song had on her as her family traveled across the country to southern California. The work reflected her journey in life, discovering who she is as a person and where she belongs. The choreography had ritualistic overtones, with a strong Afro-American vocabulary intertwined with gestures that physically translated Francis’ words. Although this dance was not strong choreographically and the dancers were of varying levels, its message was universal. Home is inside each one of us and we should be proud of who we are, what we look like and what we accomplish. The voiced statement that made an impression on me was, “I am for breaking barriers as bridges are built.” The dancers that joined Francis in Homeless were: Desirrie Brown, Sheena Erwin, Kristen Holleyman, Livya Howard-Yashar, Brendan Jackson, Ashleigh Nichelle, and Emily Paquin.

Joshua D. Estrada-Romero is the Artistic Director of FUSE Dance Company and the work that he presented on the festival was titled AlphA, performed to music by Boom Bip. Estrada-Romero is a strong choreographer and although the subject matter of this work felt dated, it was a very well-made and nicely performed dance. Four men, Joseph Lister; Phillip Lu; Matthew Kindig; and Samuel DeAngelo, demonstrated their individual prowess while vying for dominance, and there were many strong partnered lifts throughout the work that transitioned seamlessly into turns and leg extensions. Some of the posturing made me smile, but the work was good. In the end, the alpha male dismissed his rivals with a simple jab of his elbows.

Trust was a typical love duet with welcomed surprises. Choreographed by Dorcas Román, who also performed, was very different in height from her partner Pancho Chavez, but she utilized that variance to create some of the duet’s most striking moments. Román’s choreography was extremely musical and she brought fresh eyes to old visions vis-à-vis partnering by her use of gravity and counter-balance to lift and support her male partner.  As in life, a strong relationship requires equal support from both people involved. As a dancer, Román appeared fearless and it was clear that she trusted Chavez to always be there to catch and lift her. He trusted Román in the same way and there was a strong chemistry between them. Performing to music by David Lanz, Star Gazer, Trust gave me hope for the future of romantic love duets.

Bernard Brown, Artistic Director of BB Moves, was the choreographer for Leanin’ In, a powerful solo about fighting back and continuing forward despite the odds. Performed by Christopher Salango, the work placed physical demands on the him that added to its authority. Leanin’ In opens with Salango seated on the floor, balanced on his haunches; his body erect, feet and legs off the floor. He is there for some time, making sharp, angry gestures toward his torso and face as if he is being struck by some unseen opponent. As the solo progresses, we got a sense that it is life that is striking out at this man; setting one obstacle after another in front of him. I have seen Brown, who is an amazing dancer and actor, perform this work, and Salango rose to the challenge.

I always know when a dance is good when I look at my notes to find that I stopped writing. Two works on this program caused that response: fotos antiquas by Andrea Ordaz and Trepidity by Alan Perez. Both works were not only well made, but beautifully performed.

RaShawn Hart1 RaShawn Hart2 Kassy Francis2 Kassy Francis3 Alpha1 Alpha3 Trust1 Trust2 Leanin In fotos1 fotos2 jack1 jack3 Trepidity1 Tripidity2 Devil1 Devil2
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BlakTina Festival 6 - "Jack-o-Lantern Therapy in The Land of Broken Soles" by Anthony James Kelly - Photo: Roger Martin Holman for LA Dance Chronicle

fotos antiquas was a trio set to the music of Andrew Tarr and performed by three very different types of women who managed to unite those differing qualities into a resilient solidarity. The movement was very feminine in the sense of his strength and sensual fortitude. fotos antiquas felt ageless, demonstrating how elements of a woman’s life have both changed and improved but remained the same throughout history. There was a repeating and memorable tableau where the trio sat or stood with their shoulders pressed close as they briefly shook or vibrated, but glared defiantly forward. The choreography shifted between those moment of silent solidarity and individual softness, expressing the many facets of a woman’s life.

The strong and beautiful performers in fotos antiquas were Julienne Mackey, Joan Holly Padeo, and Samantha Scheller. Tarr’s score was extremely driving and potent, setting up a tense and turbulent environment for the dancers.

This was my second viewing of Trepidity by Alan Perez and the changes that he has made in the piece have greatly strengthened it. The work’s brief opening sets up the meeting of two male strangers who display an immediate and mutual attraction. Perez’s choreography is sensual and loving between the two men without ever becoming overtly homoerotic. This duet could be performed by instead a man and woman or two women, but what sets it apart is the male energy with a hint that this relationship is still taboo in some cultures or mindsets. Dynamic lifts, brief gentle caresses and disguised desires are displayed throughout. The men leave together for a life left unanswered. Joining Perez was the very talented Jamal Wade and they performed to music by Olafur Arnolds.

Anthony James Kelly was the second guest artist from Phoenix. He was not as polished a performer as some on the program, but he made up for it with his fast footwork and his well-timed humor. Jack-o-Lantern Therapy in The Land of Broken Soles was a look into a man who has walked in many different shoes in an effort to find his place in this world. Kelly performed inside a semi-circle of varying styles of sneakers and shoes. He removed the pair that he was first wearing and changed persona as he donned a new pair. He was joined by actor, mover, writer, painter and stage manager José Garcia Davis, who discovered Kelly lying lifeless on the ground. He had been slain and briefly left his body. He handled the subject and the ensuing duel with tongue-in-cheek humor. Kelly’s solo was also deceptive. He delivered a very wise message but delivered it wrapped in humor and a Chicago style of hip-hop.

Irishia Hubbard is the founder and director of The Hubbard Collective. She is a talented choreographer and although The Devil’s Friend was not one of her best works, it did deliver a unique investigation of boy meets girl and good versus evil. The choreography between the “boy and girl” (Dominik Haws)Edgar Aguirre and Nicole Rivor) got a tad cute and trite, but the dance took on a totally different tone when the Devil (and his entourage entered. Hubbard’s timing was excellent. The performances were good, and Hubbard tried hard to make this theme work, but sadly, I think that she missed her mark on The Devil’s Friend by using far too familiar movement vocabulary to tell the tale. The full cast included Edgar Aquirre, Dominik Haws, Irishia Hubbard, Alize Ibry, Nicole Rivor, Tarra Laperdon, Marissa Moreno, Sienna Serrano, and Noelle White. The music for The Devil’s Friend was collage of songs by Renata Rosa; Barbatuqaues; Mariana Aydar; and Cabruêra.

Lighting Designer Wouter Feldbusch did a great job of giving each dance an individual look and Licia Perea deserves great credit for delivering a very professional and high-quality dance festival. BlakTina 6 was a success! Let us hope that in the not to far future the need to separate cultures will not be necessary. There is a still a need for this type of festival only because of the inequality that still exists in our country.

For more information on the BlakTina Festival, click here.

For more information the Bootleg Theater, click here.

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