On the evening of Saturday, January 25th I had the honor of attending Uncorked, presented by HD Theatre under the co-direction of Haley Heckethorn and Joe Davis presented at Stomping Ground L.A. The evening included varying works featuring HD Theatre’s inaugural apprentice company, multiple Los Angeles based choreographers, and of course, Heckethorn and Davis themselves.

"Primal Form" by Nick Meola - Photo captured by Asha Moody.

“Primal Form” by Nick Meola – Photo captured by Asha Moody.

The performance began with Primal Form, a piece choreographed by Nick Meola and performed by Julia Lowe, Caroline Skrable, Ashley Choy, Izabella Orozco and Ryan Pecorella. This piece had a primitive display of strength and survival in the human form. The dancers, dressed in all nude unitards showcased a great sense of control, one that gave freedom to the expression of the spine and was truly fascinating to watch. Performed to the musical accompaniment of “Submit” and “In Flames” by Mikael Karlsson, and “Consumed” by The Haxan Cloak, the soundscape beautifully reflected the qualitative choices in choreography and stage presence of the dancers. Meola’s choreography ranged in dynamics that fully embodied the instinctual nature of the human experience. Primal Form set the stage for an evening of excellence in ability, showmanship, and craft.

"Find Me in a Dream by Genna Moroni - Photo captured by Asha Moody.

“Find Me in a Dream by Genna Moroni – Photo captured by Asha Moody.

Following Meola’s work was a captivating solo titled Find Me In a Dream choreographed by Genna Moroni and performed by Bella Allen. Allen, dressed in a large trench coat and heels, drew my focus in with a captivating simplicity as her solo began in an isolated spotlight along with a static soundscape by Branko Mataja. Moroni’s choreographic choices are nothing less than exceptionally intelligent as the piece grew in suspense and highlighted both physicality and theatrical elements. Suddenly, Allen strips down into a sparkly leotard and fishnets as the music drastically changes to “Dream Baby Dream” by Suicide. This portion of the solo exaggerated Allen’s physical capacity and added a level of fun to the once mysterious and serious tone of the work. After the piece was performed, it was announced that Allen had learned the solo only one day before the performance as the previous dancer, Baylie Olsen had unfortunately hurt her ankle. I find this important to note as the solo was performed as if it had been known and perfected for years. I applaud both Allen and Moroni for their commitment and excellence in both choreography and performance.

"Castling The Unknown" by JA Collective - Photo captured by Asha Moody.

“Castling The Unknown” by JA Collective – Photo captured by Asha Moody.

The third performance of the night was choreographed by JA Collective and performed by Jordan Johnson and Aidan Carberry with music by Eric Pham. The work, titled Castling The Unknown, set a scene with a simple set design of a table and chairs, an overhead light bulb , and a timer manipulated by the dancers to control both sound and light. The work was incredible in manufacturing a tense relationship between the dancers with their pedestrian-like body language alongside extremely complex gestural choreography. The musicality of the choreography was executed flawlessly by Johnson and Carberry. This work created a sense of “real life” through the body language, casual costuming, and relational dynamics between the two. I continue to ponder over the magic of this piece and how sometimes the most simple choices leave the most lasting impact.

"Growing In Your Own Lane" by Haley Heckethorn and Joe Davis - Photo captured by Asha Moody.

“Growing In Your Own Lane” by Haley Heckethorn and Joe Davis – Photo captured by Asha Moody.

After a brief intermission, the show continued with a piece titled Growing In Your Own Lane, choreographed by HD Theatre’s Haley Heckethorn and Joe Davis in collaboration with the dancers Genevieve Antonetty, Meghan Bailey, Ciara Bement, Julia Lowe, Chloe Madding, Olivia Passarelli, and Hope Patterson. This piece was the premiere of HD Theatre’s inaugural apprentice company, a lineup of dancers who exhibit great technical ability and skill. The choreographic choices of Heckethorn and Davis structurally reflected the title of the piece, creating individual worlds for each dancer that then relied on the support of those around them. There was a flawless execution of phrase work that seamlessly blended into partnering work. Performed to music by Cliff Martinez and Cédrick Klapisch, the dynamics of the dancers and structure of the choreography beautifully meshed into a satisfying piece of work.

"Waiting for the Wind to Fall" by Greg Lau - Photo captured by Asha Moody.

“Waiting for the Wind to Fall” by Greg Lau – Photo captured by Asha Moody.

Closing the show was a work by Greg Lau performed by Haley Heckethorn and Joe Davis of HD Theatre titled Waiting for the Wind to Fall. This work was my personal favorite of the evening, highlighting the honest relationship that both Heckethorn and Davis share. The apparent trust in one another was palpable as an audience member, seeing their effortless use of momentum and abandon was exhilarating to watch. The works soundscape by Luke Howard was a soft, dissonant tone and the simple lighting and costuming really gave space for the dancers, their ability, and their partnership to shine at the forefront of the work. The technical abilities of Heckethorn and Davis are impressive enough, but the stage presence and vulnerability shared with one another and the audience is something so moving, you’d truly have to see it to believe it.

It was a great honor to witness HD Theatre’s first full length production, something that for a new dance company, is not always the easiest to pull off. Heckethorn shared at the end of the evening that their goal as a company was to “make the audience truly fall in love with dance.” As someone who already shares a deep love for dance, somehow I left with an even deeper appreciation for the craft and the community it provides. I look forward to seeing what HD Theatre does next as I am sure this is just the beginning for them.

For more information about HD Theatre, please visit their website.

For more information about Stomping Ground L.A., please visit their website.


Written by Rebecca Lee for LA Dance Chronicle.

Featured image: “Waiting for the Wind to Fall” by Greg Lau – Photo captured by Asha Moody.