On Friday October 13, 2023, Invertigo Dance Theatre premiered Formulae and Fairy Tales at the BroadStage. This captivating and challenging piece by Invertigo’s Laura Karlin, Artistic Director and choreographer, is a voyeur’s look at the complex life and tragedy of the brilliant Alan Turing through movement and voice.
Turing, a cryptographer and mathematician, was purported to be the father of computer science and artificial Intelligence. “It seems probable that once the machine thinking method had started, it would not take long to outstrip our feeble powers,” (Turing). With Turing’s intent and genius, he broke the Nazi Enigma code during WWII, saving untold lives. Yet, instead of a hero’s welcome to civilian life, a Victorian law, the Labouchere Amendment of 1885, claimed that “any criminals guilty of gross indecency would be sentenced to two years of hard labor.” Gross indecency, in this case, was sex between two people of the same gender. This tragic turn in his life required he make a choice between jail or chemical castration. His deadly decision of castration led to his metaphoric demise fashioned after his favorite Disney movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In his final decision to end it all, he ate an apple laced with cyanide.
Invertigo Dance Theatre in Laura Karlin’s “Formulae and Fairy Tales” – Photo by George Simian
Karlin’s exploration, started three years ago, not only to challenge her creator’s vision, but to encourage fertile collaboration with her chosen performers to think “outside the box.” She wanted to discover and interpret Turing’s story, his whimsical personality and valuable contribution as a work of art. So in this piece, his predictions were interspersed and symbolized in the actions of the company. She took some of his memorable quotes and manifested them on stage.
“One day ladies will take their computers for walks in the park and tell each other, ‘My little computer said such a funny thing this morning’”.
In exploring this wonderful visual prediction, using a large red apple, one of the dancers literally took their apple for a walk, showing the irony and humor of Turing’s prediction to the delight of the audience.
Throughout the piece Karlin brings out Turing’s love for Disney’s Technicolor Snow White and Seven Dwarfs with the apple becoming “a symbol of the forbidden; Love, sexuality, knowledge – they all unfold as an apple, a code, a cipher. “ (Karlin).
Invertigo Dance Theatre – Cody Brunelle-Potter in Laura Karlin’s “Formulae and Fairy Tales” – Photo by George Simian
The choice of Cody Brunelle-Potter, non-binary dance artist, was an important one. Voice and movement tied the piece together with context and humanity and Brunelle-Potter’s contribution was a powerful thread that bound the piece together. The committed dancers Hyosun Choi, William Clayton, Jessica Dunn, Corina Kinnear, Derion Loman, Luke Dakota Zender were technically splendid, emotionally clear and ready to contribute to Karlin’s over-all vision with their own personal contributions and intelligence, making this piece intriguing and intimate.
It is a tone poem that examines Turing’s life as though through a hologram with ingenious Video Design by NightLight Labs. There’s a fascinating melding of numbers and formulas onto the dotted scrim behind the dancers. It mirrors the prism of Turing’s fascination with structure, numbers and symbols while RS Buck’s lighting creates warmth and stark effectiveness. The haunting music by Toby Karlin, Julia Kent, Eric Mason layers and encourages not only creative unity but chaos, with the ensemble’s bodies working in opposition, covering space, floor and air.
Invertigo Dance Theatre – “Formulae and Fairy Tales” by Laura Karlin – Photo by George Simian
The twisting eroticism of two men and two women, connected to a bright red apple, with their mouths devouring, and their bodies communicating the passion of life and death is stunning. The dancers work in two’s, three’s and, as an ensemble, move in complex and intricate patterns. Lifts and swirls, rolls and twists pair girl to man, girl to girl, man to man, allowing group conflict and resolutions.
Invertigo Dance Theatre in Laura Karlin’s “Formulae and Fairy Tales” – Photo by George Simian
Karlin and company have created a provocative paradox. This is a thought provoking 80 minute evening filled with the riddles of such a complex life and subject. No matter the unfolding of Turing’s cascading life, in examining this piece and evening, one finds the need to search and discover further the lessons learned through this contribution. Karlin has dedicated this piece to the “Dreamers and Schemers,” and rightfully so. This is a powerful, timeless and thought-provoking work and worth seeing more than once. Make sure to do research before your next visit… It’s worth it! This work makes clear that this is the reason for dance – to see more deeply and produce order in chaos that touches the heart. Thanks to Invertigo and the Broad Stage for your respectful work. May it light the fire for more discovery.
Formulae and Fairy Tales was Choreographed by the performers (Cody Brunelle-Potter, Hyosun Choi, William Clayton, Jessica Dunn, Corina Kinnear, Derion Loman, Luke Dakota Zender) and Adrian Hoffman, Isaac Huerta, Spencer Jensen, Laura Karlin, Dominique McDougal, Shane Raiford.
To learn more about Invertigo Dance Theatre, please visit their website.
To find out more about BroadStage, please visit their website.
This article was edited on 10/19/23
Written by Joanne DiVito for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Invertigo Dance Theatre – Jessica Dunn and Hyosun Choi in Laura Karlin’s “Formulae and Fairy Tales” – Photo by George Simian
