An exceptionally talented corps of sixteen dancers performs new works by the world’s most sought-after emerging choreographers. Through their daring, athletic movement and integration of ballet into contemporary and popular forms, the dancers of Cedar Lake take audiences on an unforgettable choreographic journey.
The FAC program includes important new works by some of the world’s leading choreographers. Exploiting the company’s talents, Joe Strømgren‘s Sunday Again weaves abstract movement patterns with baroque musical ornamentation from Johann Sebastian Bach to tell the simple story of a couple taxed by the quirks of cohabitation. In Jacopo Godani’s Unit Reaction the dancers are pushed until they release themselves from the cerebral and are totally immersed in the purely physical qualities of dance. Tinged with irony and humor and set to a varied score, acclaimed Dutch choreographer Didy Veldman’s piece frame of view investigates how emotion can energize and overtake the body.
“A star in Europe, Cherkaoui made Orbo Novo for the New York-based troupe, his first for an American company, whose 15 dancers not only owned the intricately athletic moves but also breathed a kind of spectral life into them” (Victoria Looseleaf, Los Angeles Times).
Spectacular! It was wonderful to see such innovative correography and such excellent dancers.
The choreography and dancing were superb. The athleticism of Sunday, Again was exciting. I liked the way the lighting accentuated the movement of the dancers in Unit In Reaction. Frame of View was perhaps my favorite of the three pieces with its theatrical staging and vignettes of relationships.
We loved the performance by Cedar Lake –each of the 3 works had incredibly distinctive choreography and feeling. And of course the dancers were phenomenal.
Very pleased you brought this dance company to UMass -thanks!
I’ve been going to dance performances at FAC for 25+ yrs and I can honestly say this performance was in the top 2 or 3 most enjoyable and memorable dance events. I like the concept of Cedar Lake, a company based on invited choreographers. It makes the evening diverse & innovative. Although the music and choreographers were diverse, this evening seemed to be very cohesive still. One unifying theme was the physicality and sheer athleticism of the choreography and performers. This probably derives from artistic director Benoit-Swan Pouffer’s taste in guest choreographers. It seemed to be more contemporary dance informed by ballet. They deserve to have a broader audience which I think they will. I invited friends to attend and one couple, reluctant about ballet, had a marvelous time. Maybe they should drop ‘ballet’ from their name.
I know nothing about dance but it was absolutely beautiful!
I really liked the first piece the best. The dancers were amazing and the subtle humor made it all come together.
When we saw them at Jacob’s Pillow a year ago, I announced as the curtain came down, “I’ll go anywhere to see them again.”. You can imagine how excited I was to see that this fall they would perform in my own back yard! So many aspects of all the pieces will buoy my spirits and challenge my thinking for weeks to come. THANK YOU!
All three pieces were extraordinary. I think my favorite was the last, only because I found the staging to the particularly clever and I enjoyed the music more. Such interesting movements, and a wonderful departure from classical ballet. (My husband didn’t fall asleep this time!!!)
They were amazing. I hope they all could soak in hot water afterwards considering what they did with their bodies. I liked having 3 different choreographers too. Bring them back…but use a different format for the program notes: Bold, upper case, lower case…it was difficult to read and to tell what section went with which.
The energy and athleticism of the dancers was spell binding.
The show was incredible. The only complaint I had was that the second piece was a bit static and repetitive. It was the same loud music and similar movements the entire time without any change. The dancer’s skills were impressive, as in the other pieces, but I found my mind wondering and wishing for more innovation. It was a little too much like a recital piece.
For someone who just moved to the area from New York City where I was spoiled with so much dance to watch, I was THRILLED with Cedar Lake’s performance Saturday night. It was funny, elegant, athletic, dynamic–with lots of narrativity, especially in the two pieces that framed the night’s suite. I loved it!
I absolutely loved the show. It was very interesting having such talented dancers perform for different choreographers in three very different pieces while maintaining such grace and agility. I especially like Jo Strømgren’s “Sunday, Again” for its message, subtle humor, interesting use of sound effects, and impressively creative choreography. I left the theater feeling uplifted and inspired and dying to be part of Cedar Lake. That would be so amazing, I can hardly say. Thanks FAC for hosting such an unforgettable performance! Keep the contemporary coming!
Fabulous and unusual, great amount of diversity and expression; very much captured our crazy society and cultural dynamics.
I attend dance performances at Jacob’s Pillow, at UMASS FAC and whatever other venues I find, but had never heard of this Cedar Lake group. However, I will now be looking for their performances in our area and will try my best to attend. The entire company were so very skilled and accomplished. I was particularly impressed with the Jo Stromgren work with which they began, as I kept having the impression that the dancing and dancers flowed like water into their constant interactions with each other. It was really hard to believe that they had muscles and bones, as they seemed so entirely flexible, bendable and connected. And the humor as well as the skill with which they performed the third and final work was way above other efforts of that type that I’ve seen with other top ballet companies. The entire performance was so excellent and above so many other well-known dance companies that I will definitely seek them out in the future. Thank you UMASS for finding them and bringing them to us.
I had never heard of the Cedar Lake company before and was delighted to see such an interesting performance. I especially liked the Bach sequences during the first part of the program and was impressed with the choreography, the music and the flexibility of the group. I was also happy to see so many students at the Fine Arts Center. There’s nothing like a dance program to bring out an intergenerational audience.
One of the top two or three dance performances I’ve been to. Everything about it was superb, the choreography, lighting , sound, staging, and of course the dancers. Their ethereal blending of sensuality with strength created a transcendent moment in time.
Much better than when I’ve seen them previously, mainly because it was far less precious and opaque, but still uneven. The Stromgen started with an attention-getting pas de deux — Jason whathisname is a standout in a generally but not universally strong group of dancers — but it never really developed into anything after it (and the props were a silly afterthought, never integrated). The Godani was the best: cohesive, propulsive and nailed to the floor, just like the music. The Veldman was a little unfocused and rough around the edges, but had enough great and/or entertaining moments to put it over the top.
I love seeing new and innovative choreography. This performance was exciting, creative and fun!
I loved Cedar Lake’s performance on Sat night and can’t even say which of the three pieces was my favorite. The dancers were superbly athletic and graceful; the lighting, costumes, and staging were striking; the choreography was innovative and memorable. Thank you for bringing them to the Pioneer Valley.
EXTRAORDINARY
EXCITING
AMAZING
They danced very well. We really liked the first and last pieces but found the middle one tedious and especially didn’t like the music for that on. The last one was our favorite.