Wylliams / Henry Contemporary Dance Company Concert

Wylliams / Henry
Contemporary Dance Company
http://www.wylliams-henry.org

May 2009 White Recital Hall

View Slide Show: May 2009

Spring Season 2008 May 14th, 15th & 16th at 7:30 pm - White Recital Hall Performing Arts Center 4949 Cherry St. Kansas City, MO 64110 Map
Tickets: $24, $18 & $15 (Student & Seniors)
For more information and tickets call (816) 235-6222 - tickets online

Winston Dynamite Brown in Gates Bar B Q - by Mary Pat Henry

Even with lots of weekend competition in Kansas City, including at the Rep, just a door or so down the lobby at the Performing Arts Center, the saturday audience nearly filled White Recital Hall. All the audiences got a treat to the new piece by Mary Pat Henry, Gates Bar-B-Que Suite, and music by Bobby Watson. Clever, fun, joyous and with great dancing, it was a good night to be in the audience. It was a good night to appreciate the athleticism of this pearl of a company.

The Gates suite brings back the ambience at the beginning of Gates Bar-B-Que in the early 1950s. Various characters provide vignettes.

Nijawwon Matthews in More Than You Know by Ingrid Hadley
Hadley is vice principal at Paseo Academy High School of the Performing and Visual Arts

Also, local choreographer Ingrid Hadley, who is vice-principal at vice principal at Paseo Academy High School of the Performing and Visual Arts, showed her short but athletically dramatic "More Than You Know." Nijawwon Matthews was the soloist, reacting to the walk-off at the start by Chloe Abel, as the girlfriend exiting. Nijawwon is simply powerful. He is very quick, getting airtime in sudden bursts of energy. (picture above, in the air, with back arched and legs and arms to the far back)

Winston Dynamite Brown again showed his power and his air time in several pieces, including the Gates piece (picture just below). He did the Leni Wylliams "Sweet in the Morning" with graceful power. "Sweet" requires slow, sinous moves, needing a lot of control. Winston is one of the many dancers who were trained by the Smith Sisters school on Prospect, then to UMKC with Mary Pat Henry graduating in 2005 and from there to Taylor II dance company. He is now working separately.

In most of the pieces was company stalwart, DeeAnna Hiett. DeeAnna injured her left knee a year ago (torn miniscus) in "City" (May 2008 concert). She had previously suffered an ACL injury and operation on that knee five years before. This is her first concert appearance since the May 2008 injury. The only visible sign of her injury was the flesh-colored brace on her left knee, not obvious unless you were looking. As before, when DeeAnna Hiett is onstage, your eyes tend to go to her, regardless of how many other dancers are visible.

This concert also borrowed heavily from a talented class of graduating senior dance majors this year, Erik Sobbe, Molly Vaeth, Chloe Abel, Christopher Page and Katie Metzger as well as junior Gavin Stewart. Sobbe took a major role in a number of pieces, Gates, Red and Concrete Abstract.

(L-R) Erik Sobbe, Drew Shuler and Christopher Page in Concrete Abstract by Sean Curran
Both Sobbe and Page are graduating seniors at UMKC dance. Shuler is from Brooklyn, NY.

The Program
(Descriptions in the program section are from Wylliams/Henry material)

Red

Choreography: Paula Weber
Music: Beethoven
Lighting Design: Rocco D'Santi
Costume Design: Paula Weber
Costume Construction: Paula Weber
Dancers: Holly DeWitt, DeeAnna Hiett, Nijawwon Matthews, Carolina Monnerat, Drew Shuler, Erik Sobbe

Red is a work for 3 couples by Paula Weber set to the energetic music of Beethoven. Drawing on the athleticism and sensual movement, this abstract work captures both the subtle connections and the freedom of movement between the couples to create breathtaking movement and intricate lifts showcasing the technical brilliance of the dancers.

Sweet In the Morning

Choreography: Leni Wylliams
Music: Bobby McFerrin
Lighting Design: Rocco D'Santi
Costume and Prop Design: Leni Wylliams
Dancer: Winston Dynamite Brown

Sweet In the Morning, a male solo choreographed by Leni Wylliams is set to the vocals of Bobby McFerrin. A lone man walks solemnly down a bench framed by a stain-glass window reminiscent of a church. The dance is a journey to reconnect to those he loved as he reaches back to say "do not grieve for me-all is well."

Concrete Abstract

Choreography: Sean Curran
Restaged by Winston Dynamite Brown
Lighting Design: Rocco D'Santi
Costume Design: Sean Curran
Costume Construction Laura Powell
Dancers: Chloe Abel, Holly DeWitt, Katie Metzger, Carolina Monnerat, Christopher Page, Drew Shuler, Erik Sobbe, Gavin Stewart, Molly Vaeth, Rodni Williams

Concrete Abstract is a full company work choreographed by Sean Curran to the buoyant score of Tigger Benford. Using the choreographic devices of organized chaos and formalized structure, Curran has created a bright and whimsical dance which merges unconventional lifts, kinetic energy and Curran's tongue in cheek view of the world.

We Dance by Kevin Iega Jeff

Choreography: Kevin Iega Jeff
Music by J.S. Bach and "VIDE COR MEUM" by Patrick Cassidy
Lighting Design: Rocco D'Santi
Costume Design: Kevin Iega Jeff, Paula Weber
Costume Construction: Paula Weber
Dancers: Winston Dynamite Brown, DeeAnna Hiett, Carolina Monnerat, Drew Shuler

We Dance by Kevin Iega Jeff set to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach is a series of vignettes for tow couples, which combine the ethereal images of Baroque Dance with contemporary movement. The dance creates a diaphanous world in which movement, gesture, and social manners become one.

More Than You Know

Choreography: Ingrid Hadley
Music: Kenny Lattimore
LIghting Design: Rocco D'Santi
Costume Design: Ingrid Hadley
Dancer: Nijawwon Matthews

Unfold

Choreography: Robert Battle
Music: Gustave Charpentier - Soprano: Leontyne Price
Lighting Design: Rocco D'Santi
Costume Design: Robert Battle
Costume Construction: Kathy Bradford
Dancers: DeeAnna Hiett, Winston Dynamite Brown

Gates B-B-Q Suite by Mary Pat Henry

Choreography: Mary Pat Henry
Music: Bobby Watson - "Gates B-B-Q Suites"
Other Musical Artists: Sam Price, Guy Brothers and Orchestra, Wendy Renee
Lighting Design: EJ Reinagel
Costume Design: Kate Mincer
Costume Construction: Kathy Bradfod, Laura Powell
Set Design: Kate Mincer
Set Construction: EJ Reinagel
Restaurant Ambiance: Tim & Heather Goodwillie
Dancers: Chloe Abel, Winston Dynamite Brown, DeeAnna Hiett, Holly DeWitt, Nijawwon Matthews, Katie Metzger, Carolina Monnerat, Christopher Page, Drew Shuler, Erik Sobbe, Gavin Stewart, Rodni Williams

Curtain Music: "Let Times Roll" by Tim Whitner and Rusty Tucker

Opening: Chef/Owner: Nijawwon Matthews, Waiter: Christopher Page, Music: Bobby Watson

First Section: "Man about Town: Winston Dynamite Brown, Music: "BAR-B-Q Sauce" by Sam Price

Second Section: Society Maven: DeeAnna Hiett, Personal Assistant: Katie Metzger, Young Couple Chloe Abel and Drew Shuler, Music "Heavy on the Sauce" by Bobby Watson

Third Section: Teenagers: Holly DeWitt, Carolina Monnerat, Erik Sobbe, Preacher Rodni Williams, Music: BAR-B-Q" by Wendy Renee

Fourth Section: Full Company, Music: "Blues for Ollie (I've Been Told)" by Bobby Watson

FIfth Section: Full Company, Music: "A MInute Too Late " by Bobby Watson

Sixth Section: Full Company, Music: "I Love BAR-B-Q " by Guy Brothers and Orchestra, Curtain Music: "Beef on Bun" by Bobby Watson

Gates B-B-Que Suite by Mary Pat Henry is a full company work to an original composition by international jazz artist Bobby Watson, featuring his Big Band Jazz Orchestra. Gates B-B-Que Suite is a loving and playful look at this Kansas City tradition and a culinary landmark. Set in a restaurant, the dance captures the microcosm of society as people greet each other, talk and gather and dine on an American classic.

(L-R) Winston Dynamite Brown, DeeAnna Hiett, Nijawwon Matthews, Holly DeWitt, Erik Sobbe, Christopher Page in Gates B-B-Que Suite by Mary Pat Henry

Winston Dynamite Brown and DeeAnna Hiett in We Dance by Kevin Iega Jeff

Winston Dynamite Brown in Sweet in the Morning by Leni Williams

Nijawwon Matthews (facing) and DeeAnna Hiett in Gates B-B-Que Suite by Mary Pat Henry

Gates B-B-Que Suite by Mary Pat Henry: Nijawwon Matthes (Front center) Behind, left to right: Erik Sobbe, Rodni Williams, Holly DeWitt (hidden), Chloe Abel (hidden), Christopher Page, Winston Dynamite Brown, Drew Shuler

Winston Dynamite Brown in Sweet in the Morning by Leni Wylliams

Drew Schuler in Concrete Abstract by Sean Curran

Gates B-B-Que by Mary Pat Henry - (L-R) Winston Dynamite Brown, DeeAnna Hiett
Photoshop notes: The double Winston and stools on the right moved closer to DeeAnna.

DeeAnna Hiett and Nijawwon Matthews in Gates B-B-Que by Mary Pat Henry - background, left to right: Erik Sobbe, Rodni Williams, Holly Dewitt, Drew Shuler

DeeAnna Hiett and Nijawwon Matthews in Gates B-B-Que by Mary Pat Henry - background, left to right: Holly Dewitt, Drew Shuler, Chloe Abel

DeeAnna Hiett and Nijawwon Matthews (right, at bar) in Gates B-B-Que by Mary Pat Henry - background table, left to right: Drew Shuler, Chloe Abel

Winston Dynamite Brown in Sweet in the Morning by Leni Williams

DeeAnna Hiett in Gates B-B-Que by Mary Pat Henry

Nijawwon Matthews in More Than You Know by Ingrid Hadley

Nijawwon Matthews in More Than You Know by Ingrid Hadley

Nijawwon Matthews in More Than You Know by Ingrid Hadley

Artistic Director
Mary Pat Henry
Company Co-Founder
Leni Wylliams
Assistant Director
Paula Weber
Rehearsal Directors
DeeAnna Hiett
Paula Weber
Development Consultant
Paul Lerner
Media Consultant
Kathy Hanis
Marketing Consultant
Lorna Dempster

The Company
Chloe Abel
Winston Dynamite Brown
Holly DeWitt
DeeAnna Hiett
Nijawwon Matthews
Katie Metzger
Carolina Monnerat
Drew Shuler (mysp)
Rodni Williams

Apprentices
Christopher Page
Erik Sobbe
Gavin Stewart
Molly Vaeth

Crew
Lighting Designer
Rocco DiSanti
Associate Lighting Designer
EJ Reinagel
Light Board Operator
David Diaz
Master Electrician
Alex Perry
Sound Operator
Cody Hill
Stage Manager
Heather O'Mara

Tech Crew
Rachel Crawford
Brittany Duskin
Brittany Feiten
Whitney Ricketts
Asha Singh
Will Smith

Website
Arthur Pemberton
Graphic Design
Mark Ringenberg
Photography
Michael Manley and Michael Strong
Program Design
Kate Barr

Board of Directors
Kyle Danner Chairman
David Donovan Vice-Chairman
Carolyn Cameron Secretary
Stephen White Treasury
Carol Bayer Past Chairman
Erin Benda
Mary Pat Henry
Carolyn Holtman
Robert Leipold

Advisory Board
Penny Chappell
Elizabeth Danforth
SuEllen Fried
Anthony Galvan, Jr.
Barbara Rafael
Judith Roth