A lonesome office chair spins under a spotlight as audience members trickle into the New Theater Hollywood on October 25th to see Loneliness Triptych, a dance drama choreographed by Volta Collective’s director Mamie Green. An intimate setting suited for a show that explores the dark intimacy of loneliness, the scene is set with an air mattress propped up in the corner and an empty feeling as I await the dancers’ entrance. As one would presume in relation to the title, the triptych work presented loneliness in three parts.
Volta Collective – Loneliness Triptych – Anne Kim, Raven Scott, Bella Allen in “The Doppelgänger” by Mamie Green – Photo by Roman Koval.
The first section titled, The Doppelgänger, featured dancers Bella Allen and Anne Kim, dressed exactly alike, the exceptional duo of dancers showcased a technical capacity that was seemingly effortless. Joining them is the mesmerizing Raven Scott, performing a monologue written by Sammy Loren exploring a passionate tale of a once in a lifetime kind of love that was lost. The three performers had a clear focus and the choreographic structure interwove the relationships in an architectural way that was clearly connected. All of this drew me to ask various questions. What is the relationship between the doppelgänger’s and the speaker? Are they a representation of one person or three individuals? Green’s directorial choices are what I find to be intentionally open ended, allowing space for me to piece together contextual clues in a way that is most meaningful to me. I thoroughly enjoy work that is presented this way, and although some might find it frustrating to not have a crystal clear narrative, I admire Green’s ability to open doorways to broad ideas rather than hold your hand through each moment.
Volta Collective – Loneliness Triptych – Mandolin Burns and Lily Lady in “The Cam Girl” by Mamie Green – Photo by Roman Koval.
The second section titled The Cam Girl, featured Mandolin Burns and Lily Lady with text also written and performed by Lady. This duet explored dissociative intimacy, the kind of loneliness that one might experience emotionally while ironically being physically close to someone. The duet used a blow up air mattress as a device that not only represented the concept of physical intimacy, but was used as a boundary, separating the two as they stood the mattress up like a wall between them. The spoken word by Lady was delivered with an almost empty tone, intentionally used to deliver an internal monologue. A line that felt poignant to the theme was, “What am I if not a man’s creation?” A brutal reflection of one’s relationship with their body, intimacy, and the conditions of the world around them. Burns and Lady performed with physical abandon, intentional emotion, and stellar control.
Volta Collective – Loneliness Triptych – Ryan Green and Ryley Polak in “The Kid” by Mamie Green – Photo by Roman Koval.
The final piece of Loneliness Triptych was a duet titled, The Kid, performed by Ryan Green and Ryley Polak. This duet had no spoken word, but was accompanied by the original score by Dylan Fujioka which was present in the previous two sections as well. Circling the work back to the opening scene, this duet utilized the office chair that sat lonesome, spinning endlessly on a rotating platform as the audience arrived. Green and Polak are powerful performers, strong dynamically and physically, the two partnered one another and the chair in an effortless way that requires great skill and intuition. A through line of the entire show is Green’s intentional use of prop and text as a device to inform the audience of the concepts she’s speaking on. Rather than using these tools as a cosmetic filler to the piece, Green expertly involves prop and text to build the world she imagines.
As a finale of sorts, each performer from the previous scenes join onstage as “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake almost comically fills the soundscape. While one dancer spins in the office chair vaping, other members hold their phones recording one another as they interact with the props and space once more. There was a chaotic energy as the dancers reflected upon their experiences in front of various cameras. This moment had me questioning how often lonely people cosplay online as happy just “for show.” When people are conditioned to show their best selves in this new age of online presence, perhaps the most lonely feeling is to pretend you’re not through the miniscule lens of a phone. Loneliness Triptych was an introspective ride full of impressive dancing and intentional world building. Green’s work successfully acted as a mirror to the challenging conditions of society many people are experiencing. In a way, this reflection is a reminder that loneliness is something none of us are experiencing alone.
Be sure to catch Volta bring Loneliness Triptych to life for one last weekend, November 1st and 2nd at the New Hollywood Theater.
To learn more about Volta Collective, please visit their website.
For more information on the New Theater Hollywood, please visit their website.
Written by Rebecca Lee for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Volta Collective – Loneliness Triptych – Mandolin Burns and Lily Lady in Cam Girl by Mamie Green – Photo by Roman Koval.
