By AMBER SHATTO
A Seat on the Aisle
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre (GHDT) accomplishes bringing iconic themes of American Western classics into a contemporary dance presentation complete with cowboys, gunslingers, bandits, and saloon girls for 90 minutes of engaging storytelling in The Wild Wild West.
Executive Artistic Director Gregory Hancock, never one to settle for a stale showcase, takes audiences back into the 1800s to experience the lawless frontier through an array of settings and characters with performances from GHDT company dancers and pre-professional students of The Academy of GHDT (G2) in the intimate setting of The Florence Theatre, 329 Gradle Drive, Carmel.
Company dancer Thomas Mason opens the production as protagonist Tobias Clayton as he walks onto the floor in the darkness engaging only our sense of sound as his Western boots tap the floor demonstrating to the audience that this is, in fact, a performance of costume and movement authenticity. The first theme of conflict emerges when the Eastwood-with-grace character falls for an Indian princess portrayed by Olivia Payton. Powerful tribal dancing by members of the company led by stoic Indian Chief Chloe Holzman fills the stage before Tobias accepts that he must move on as he finds himself a stranger in a new town.
While GHDT is a company comprised of predominantly women, this production is comprised of predominately male characters. Next we see cowboy-walking townspeople donning lip-covering hair, broad-brimmed hats, and hip-slung weapons sizing up Tobias. The scene evolves into an uproarious saloon setting with dancing by colorful saloon girls. Conflict eventually erupts here, too, as villains emerge. Tobias finds love again as we see Abigail Lessaris as darling Clementine who delivers a seemingly effortlessly sharp performance. The two join in a romantic series of movement.
As more drama unfolds, a mysterious woman performed by Camden Lancaster is introduced and aids Tobias in his final quest. With a consistent presence throughout the last potion of the show, Ms. Lancaster captivates the audience with her movement in her striking red dress. The story concludes as company members join in a jubilant dance with beautiful lifts and an array of costumes. Also of note, the G2 students make frequent appearances throughout the production as the cavalry who must have been riding Lipizzaner stallions due to their graceful footwork.
Tribal dances in The Wild Wild West. (Photo by Robert Candis)
In this particular GHDT production, the “theatre” element knocks even harder. Leaning into this classic genre portraying the American Old West, black and white title cards charmingly appear to identity each scene change. The performance presents very similarly to an early-style silent Western due to the inherent qualities of storytelling through movement and expressions. One exception is the highly entertaining hoots, hollers, and heckling, particularly of Ms. Payton who delivers endless laugh-out-loud worthy phrases with melodramatic appeal as her cowboy character.
The entertaining and familiar music selections in The Wild Wild West range from the classic American Western age through the Spaghetti Western era but also includes traditional American works featuring drums and chanting. Mr. Hancock effectively dresses the artists in detailed costumes in a collection of colors and fabrics from the Earth tones of the cowboys and bandits to the bright sheen of the saloon girls. Lighting choices by Mr. Mason not only set the tone but also serve as a set piece at times. Red lights illustrate moments of conflict and alarm while warm hues bring us to the heat of high noon, but the use of green lights during prairie moments soften the black-box atmosphere and transports the audience from the town to a softer setting where the prairie women take the stage in an emotional segment.
As GHDT Board of Directors President Anindita Sen points out, The Florence allows for a concert where audience members can enjoy hearing dancer footwork and even their breaths at times as they prepare and recover throughout a performance. Witnessing these artistic athletes execute their expressive movement up close provides a special perspective for all to appreciate. This setting also allows for enjoyable audience interaction in The Wild Wild West as audiences feel like bystanders during saloon scenes.
You can experience The Wild Wild West on Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 25. Performances begin at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, so you can saddle up and head on over to your favorite waterin’ hole afterwards. With the opportunity to see pistols in the dancers’ hands during their graceful turns in a 90-minute package of thrilling storytelling and immensely skillful dancing, pick up your Uncle Bill and other Western film-appreciating loved ones on your way to The Florence and assure them that they’re in for a unique treat!
Tickets can be purchased at gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org.
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