Akron Beacon Journal – GroundWorks, choreographer Koresh develop new work during UA visit (Review)

By Kerry Clawson, Akron Beacon Journal 

On a cold January day, five dancers from GroundWorks Dance-Theater met with choreographer Ronen “Roni” Koresh in Akron to create a new section of a world premiere dance Koresh was making for the Cleveland company.

GroundWorks was in its second week of residency with Koresh, bringing their dance-making on the road Jan. 12 for Koresh to teach a master class at the University of Akron and for GroundWorks to work with him all afternoon on what was a yet-untitled dance in the Albrecht Studio at Guzzetta Hall.

Early in the second week of residency, Koresh said he already had enough material for a full 15- to 20-minute piece. The newly commissioned dance, now titled CoDa, premiered in Cleveland earlier this month and will be performed at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday at Akron’s Main Library, 60 S. High St.

The Israeli-born Koresh, wrapped up in knit hat, scarf and hoodie for a day of work in Akron, had an intense air about him but spoke about having a relaxed approach with his rehearsals, even when creating a new piece. “I feel like when I’m relaxed and they’re relaxed, then I achieve a lot more,” he said.

Koresh, who began dancing with Batsheva 2 Dance Company in Israel, immigrated to the United States in 1983, joining the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York for a year before moving to Philadelphia to work with Waves Jazz Dance Company. He founded Koresh Dance Company in 1991.

At UA, Koresh spoke succinctly about creating movement that’s natural — not painful — for dancers. Koresh strives for the movement that’s always organic: “Because it’s organic with the body, the body embraces it and doesn’t fight it.”

“I want it to look like real life on stage. It’s an ambitious idea, to want something that is onstage not to look like a show, look like real life and real time,” he said.

That’s why people are so drawn to reality TV, the choreographer mused: They want to connect to something that makes sense to them.

In rehearsal, as two pairs of dancers faced off with each other in an aggressive section full of tension between each couple, Koresh pushed the dancers to physically react to each movement, not just indicate movement in a stylized fashion.

Koresh talked a lot about feeling each of the dancer’s movements, and about whether he believed them. “It’s not faster. It’s in your demeanor. It’s in your pores,” he told Damien Highfield and Katie Wells Taylor as well as Felise Bagley and Gary Lenington about the building tension and anger in their partnering.

“A little wilder,” Koresh told Highfield after he executed a big, quick lift with Taylor. “When she pushed him down, I didn’t believe you,” he told Taylor about her manhandling of Highfield. “You’re so nice to one another.”

The new dance — which has no linear story but features a series of kinetic images — is at times ferocious, with dancers pushing, falling, jumping on and pulling each other by the wrist. Koresh talked about who the shifting aggressors were with each couple.

It is set to music by French composer Rene Aubry that ranges from ominous to frantic in its mood. In one section, the dancers move en masse like predators to a chunky beat. “It has to feel like we’re out in the woods hunting,” Koresh told them.

Breaking away from the idea of refining movement was a welcome challenge for the classically trained modern dancers from GroundWorks, said artistic director David Shimotakahara. The company sought a commission from Koresh, who blends ballet, modern and jazz, because he could help push them.

“I knew that he would really challenge our dancers … and demand a lot from them,” said Shimotakahara, whose company saw the Koresh Dance Company perform in St. Louis a couple of years ago.

The new dance was commissioned with support from Toby Devan Lewis through the GroundWorks New Works Fund.

Koresh isn’t interested in “perfect little ballerinas,” which he called a fantasy. “I’ll put fantasy on the stage only to emphasize the reality.”

He said his subject matter is humanity, and his imagery can come from anywhere: “It could be rock forms that look exciting and beautiful.”

This choreographer is ever mindful of not hurting his dancers. He told Taylor he could hear her tailbone hitting the ground in a moment where she falls to the floor, and instructed her to cross her legs on the way down for a safer fall.

Later in rehearsal, Koresh, known as a perfectionist, became agitated. Over and over, Bagley and Lenington rehearsed a section in which Bagley jumps on Lenington’s back, he falls forward on one knee and she falls off his back into a straddle. Koresh wanted Bagley’s head and arm to hang down limply, but she kept positioning her arm.

“Don’t pose. Relax. You don’t look comfortable,” Koresh said, telling her to use less muscle.

“Look, you’re two very bright people. Figure it out,” he barked.

Koresh said he had to be careful not to zap the energy of the small GroundWorks company, which is half the size of his company of 10. Back in October, he had to figure out who the dancers were and how to connect with them the first couple of days before he was able to begin setting his choreography on them.

“I love the company. They’re like my company,” he said. “They’re all blue-collar workers. They work hard. They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty. They’re seasoned dancers. They love dance.”