Shifting Landscapes
Shifting Landscapes purports to be an exploration through music, dance, and puppetry of “water through all its manifestations and phase transitions.” The first act, “Until Noon,” portrays relatively still water–a glacier, waterfall, and stream–while the second act presents water in more violent forms, including hurricanes and high tides. Artistic director Wendy Clinard’s concept may be a bit precious, but there’s no reason it shouldn’t work–though one can’t help but notice that what does work has very little to do with this description.
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When act two arrives, so does live music by Carlo Basile and Doug Brush and their ensemble. So does exciting flamenco dancing. It doesn’t have much to do with water or storms, Fisher Doyle’s black gown embroidered with silver lightning notwithstanding. But who cares? Diane Rosario’s solo is superb, and the subtlety of her footwork makes it possible to notice how evocative her arms are–the very point that the first act tried and failed to make. Fisher Doyle’s solo succeeds less well. Though she choreographed it herself, the piece mostly demonstrates how alien this tradition is to her. She works too hard: her stamps are too loud, her rhythmic changes too obvious. She looks like a gringa trying to fit in; failing, she draws focus.
