Friday, September 24, 2021 marked the first time since March 2020 that I attended a dance concert inside one of southern California’s main performance venues. The Musco Center for the Arts presented Micaela Taylor and The TL Collective for one night of this extraordinary Los Angeles based company that has been on a continuous rise since it was founded in 2016 and Taylor’s Molecular Fuel was well-received. The company’s program featured two vastly different works, Drift (2019) and the premiere of ‘90Sugar, both of which were further developed during a residence at Chapman University as part of Musco Center’s “Leap of Art”.
Micaela Taylor – Photo by Tatian Willis
Her movement vocabulary has continued to develop, but there was still that unique Taylor signature of Hip Hop fusing together with contemporary modern dance, narrative and theater. Her dancers did speak in ‘90Sugar, but primarily they conversed via movement in a manner that we visually heard their words. A turn of the head was followed by a body roll and arm gesture was answered to begin a conversation that ran only as long as needed.
Drift was first seen in Los Angeles in April of 2019 at The Ford amphitheater and seeing it on The Musco Center stage made it appear like an entirely different work. It could be that this was due to Taylor’s reworking of Drift for a proscenium stage, but the inconsistent work of Lighting Supervisor Katelan Braymer tended to hinder the audience’s experience. The blinding pinkish orange light at the opening of the work, and the unevenness of the other sections drew my attention away from Taylor’s powerful work. During the entire beginning, I actually fought to see what was transpiring onstage. Thinking it was me, I asked my partner and he had the same reaction. Sadly, one blinding light morphed into six, but fortunately they went away.
Taylor is telling a story with Drift, and having interviewed her, I will go out on a limb and state that it is partially biographical. The work investigates a struggle to cope with what every young person discovers overtime about life; it is always changing. Ever-changing and not always for the better. The sound score by Taylor and various artists underlines this narrative.
TL Collective – Cast of Micaela Taylor’s “Drift” – Photo by Karen Tapia
“Drift is a lovely word. Strange, but lovely.” We heard a variety of definitions of that word, all related to moving awkwardly forward or back. Matt Luck is brilliant in this piece. His control and ease is breath-taking to watch. As is the incredible Taylor, especially during one of her solos.
One has to see to experience the visual narratives created by Taylor and The TL Collect dancers. A group surrounds Taylor, placing their hands to form a flower-like around her face which then speaks to a forward moving experience. The work is beautiful, and I for one want to see all of it.
TL Collective – (L-R) Matt Luck, Micaela Taylor, Jessie Lee Throne, Gianna Todisco, Marcella Lewis in “Drift” – Photo by Karen Tapia
The cast of Drift included Marcella Lewis, Matt Luck, Micaela Taylor, Jessie Lee Thorne, and Gianna Todisco.
Taylor wonderfully ventured into humor with ‘90Sugar. Dressed in black pants and all-red long-sleeve shirts that extended to include their hands, we learned that the entire cast of ‘90”Sugar were millennials born in the 1900’s and that learning to dance, to move was a life-changing sugar rush for Taylor.
The red colored costumes truly aided the audience to see every detail of movement in the dancers’ torsos, arms and hands. The dancers wore mics so that we clearly heard their words and singing, but it was Taylor who excelled in her lip-syncing rap solo that took place far stage right. Though the movement was almost comical, the rapper’s words drove home an experience of social injustice. During the solo, Taylor’s dancers performed duets and unison movement, creating a world of others fortunate enough not to be included in that experience.
TL Collective in “’90Sugar” by Micaela Taylor – Photo by Karen Tapia
The humor throughout ‘90Sugar not just in the dialogue, but in the timing of Taylor’s choreography and direction. Beautifully rehearsed and performed, the entire cast was thrilling to watch. One solo, however, that remains in my minds eye, was performed by the amazingly talented Jessie Lee Thorne. Here she performed movement designed to appear simple but any dancer watching knew just how difficult it actually was. Thorne not only made the movement look like she just thought of it, but the way she moves then stops on a dime was brilliant. She did not just stop; she truly ceased to move. Not an easy feat to accomplish onstage in front of a live audience. Finally, Braymer’s lighting for ‘90Sugar worked far better than it did for Drift.
TL Collective – L-R Austin Tyson, Matt Luck in Micaela Taylor’s “’90Sugar” – Photo by Karen Tapia
Taylor continued to show The Musco Center audience why she has become one of the most sought after choreographer in Los Angeles and beyond.
The genuinely exciting cast of ‘90Sugar was Marcella Lewis, Matt Luck, Micaela Taylor, Jessie Lee Throne, Gianna Todisco, and Austin Tyson. The music was by various artists.
To visit the Micaela Taylor and The TL Collective website, click HERE.
To learn more about the Musco Center for the Arts, click HERE.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: TL Collective – (L-R) Micaela Taylor, Jessie Lee Thorne, Gianna Todisco, Marcella Lewis, Matt Luck in Micaela Taylor’s Drift – Photo by Karen Tapia
