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Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY.
March 21, 2024.
In Mark Morris’ world, The Look of Love is packaged in brightly coloured, nostalgic, approachable wrapping. The work, his first since 2017, affords love in digestible bites, however generally it feels such as you’re ordering off the youngsters menu. Carried out to a collection of 14 Burt Bacharach songs, the 65-minute present creates a selected actuality that celebrates love in all its numerous varieties. Like all of Morris’ exhibits, stay musicians accompany the dancers with stellar vocals from acclaimed Broadway and movie star, Marcy Harriell. In reality, one might virtually suppose it was a live performance, with a dance present.
The group bubbled with pleasure however had been rapidly lulled into their seats when the primary few notes stuffed the theater. The lighting design, costumes and sparse props all shared a vibrant shade palate – yellow, orange, pink, peach, chartreuse and lavender, giving the impression that the journey forward shall be a light-weight one. Certainly, a lot of the motion echoed the lyrics of the songs. Whereas many appeared to get pleasure from it, the choreographic selection pulled me out of the world. Bacharach’s longtime lyricist Hal David usually used easy, approachable and catchy phrases that when paired with the literal motion interpretation, left little room for the great creativeness dance can supply.
The impeccable dancing frequently pulled me again in, nonetheless. Each dancer onstage moved by means of the choreography with a serene confidence and technical competency that gave the night a sheen and luster. Even throughout components that appeared a bit foolish (a selected lip-synching efficiency inside a efficiency second), the genuine efforts of the dancers gave credence to the motion onstage.
Setting work to very well-known music has its worth and its dangers, as every viewers member will possible have their very own relationship to the music once they enter the theater. On this case, consolation and nostalgia performed a big position for most individuals (together with myself) from what I noticed within the viewers. Bacharach’s work is prolific, and there have been a handful of occasions I used to be shocked to appreciate he had composed a such acquainted tune, corresponding to “I Say a Little Prayer.”
The present didn’t problem me, but it surely did entertain me. Its simplicity was virtually refreshing, as a result of generally dance can simply be a lot – a lot to absorb, a lot to consider, a lot to know. There’s loads to worth in artwork that explores the depth of human emotion however doesn’t emote and belabor. The Look of Love was lots entertaining and through this time on this planet felt like a break, and a reminder that the pursuit and providing of affection of any sort is the thread that weaves by means of us all.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
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