Manuel Valdes & Morgan Ranney – Courtesy of Lora Olive. Used with permission.
A reminder for those who may not yet know exactly what a kaleidoscope is: According to Cambridge English Corpus “The kaleidoscope fractures the vision of a single object or scene into a multitude of different but interrelated forms of the same.” That description fit Dance Kaleidoscope’s 2024-2025 season opener, “Late Night Tales,” to a tee Friday night on the OneAmerica Stage of the Indiana Repertory Theatre.
Marie Kuhns & Cody Miley – Courtesy of Frddie Kevin. Used with permission.
The DK company, all of them expressive, top tier dancers included Jonathan Cubides, Ryan Galloway, Ryan Jaffee, Marie Kuhns, Cody Miley, Natalie Nagy, Morgan Ranney, Nathan Rommel, Julie Russel, Sara Taylor, Manuel Valdes and apprentice Vivien Mikels.
“Late Night Tales” was a collection of four dances from accomplished choreographers, which featured the performances of seven new DK dancers from all over the world along with a piece created by new Rehearsal Director Sean Aaron Carmon —with all making their debuts. Ultimately, the highly entertaining concert reflected the fresh aesthetic of Joshua Blake Carter, now in his second season as the company’s artistic director who is already making a difference on the Indy arts scene with his bold vision.
Act 1 consisted of the world premiere of Carmon’s “HiFi” & David Hochoy’s” Rhapsody in Blue.” Act 2 included “Peak/Valley” 2024, choreographed by Janice Rosario and Carter’s world premiere of Carter’s “Late Night Tales,” with its four volumes.
Carmon’s “HiFi,” set to the breezy music of Perry Como and Rock Hudson, was a nostalgic return to the fifties for this Boomer who reveled in the work’s carefree, yet nuanced tone that reflected the era of optimism and hope that followed the darkness of World War II. Performed by the entire 12-member company, the work was all the more uplifting due to the joy and the sweetness the youthful dancers imbued it with.
Morgan Ranney & Nathan Rommel – Courtesy of Lora Olive. Used with permission.
During a year that celebrates the 100th Anniversary of George Gershwin’s immortal “Rhapsody in Blue,” I saw the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Pops Gershwin tribute concert a few weeks ago and earlier in September I experienced conductor-composer Steve Hackman’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” A brilliantly arranged fusion of Gershwin’s music and Queen, it was also performed by the ISO as part of its “Uncharted Series.” The icing on the cake was a revival of DK Artistic Director, Emeritus, Hochoy’s 2006 “Rhapsody in Blue,” which was staged by Liberty Harris. A stunning creation that did justice to Gershwin’s romantic masterpiece by setting it to dance, it featured Marie Kuhns and Cody Miley and was gorgeously costumed by Cheryl Sparks with inventive lighting design by master artist and craftsman Laura Glover.
Act 2 opened with nationally recognized Rosario’s somber Peak/Valley set to music by Ezio Bosso. Described in the program as a piece meant to “capture the weightlessness of joy and the heaviness of sorrow” the emotional piece was a reflection on the highs and lows of life we all experience throughout our personal journeys.
The highlight of the evening was Carter’s “Late Night Tales” which illustrated his signature edgy style and panache. Adding to the avant- garde quality of his piece were Terri Moore’s costumes, complemented by original lighting design by Jacob Snodgrass which was updated by Glover. The four “volumes” included in the piece are actually a collection of works choregraphed by Carter during his time with his artistic home, Giordano Dance Company in Chicago prior to joining DK. The dream like, surreal content of the work which consists of four distinct stories, was inspired by a compilation album of the same name.
For tickets and information about the Dance Kaleidoscope 2024-2025 season visit dancekal.org
