ENCINITAS — The story was about lines and relationships in first of four Patricia Rincon Dance Collective Salon Dances at the Encinitas Library on Feb. 23.
The dance series is a nod to the Isadora Duncan Salon Dances of the 1900s, in which wealthy patrons gathered in their salon to watch dance.
Features of the Salon Dance series are its up close performances and minimal props and additional lighting.
“It’s a body in space performing,” Patricia Rincon, Patricia Rincon Dance Collective artistic director, said. “No lighting technique. Enjoying the space as it is.”
The first performance “Caught” was carried out in theater in the round.
Its three dancers, Kenna Crouch, David Wornovitzky and Bonnie Young Lee, explored staying on the line, straying off the line, and looking at both sides of the line.
“It’s looking at the lines,” Rincon said. “Architectural artistic lines, physical emotional lines in movement, personal emotional lines.”
Each dancer expresses their unique relationship with lines.
Natalia Valerdi, performance choreographer and Patricia Rincon Dance Collective associate director, said to prepare dancers for the performance she asked them to draw a timeline of their life including their ups, downs, and turns.
“The choreography came from personal boundaries, struggles, and the blurring of those lines,” Valerdi said.
The solo dances reflected each dancer’s life story.
Lee stayed on the line.
“It’s the lines I have to follow in my life,” Lee said.
“Should I try crossing them?”
Wornovitzky ventured next to the line.
Crouch explored the two sides of the line.
Between solo performances dance duets and trios were performed with moods that ranged from sensual to comical.
The dancers, musician and painter expressed themselves and responded to the energy of the other performers.
Musician Joyce Rooks worked with Valerdi to select a range of music to play during the performance.
Then Rooks improvised on the final self-composed electronic music and cello she played in response to the dancers.
Artist Donn Angel Perez Lopez added another live dimension to the performance.
He met with the choreographer and dancers to learn about them and see a rehearsal.
“I’m all about lines,” Perez Lopez said. “It was coincidence after coincidence.”
During the 40 minute performance Perez Lopez painted three canvases representing each dancer in their solo and group dances.
“The glue was the emotional exuberance,” Perez Lopez said.
Perez Lopez said he did not have much time to look up from his painting during the performance. He allowed the music to guide him.
The result was a riveting performance and three impressive paintings.
The next performances will be held April 27, May 18 and June 22.
“Each one will be very different,” Rincon said. “They will all have dance. The collaboration will be very different.”
Each dance will include a talkback session with performers.
Patricia Rincon Dance Collective is a professional dance-theatre company based in San Diego County for 32 years.
For more information visit rincondance.org.
