recap: dc jazz & tap festival

This past weekend was the 25^th Annual DC Jazz & Tap Festival in NOVA. We had dress/tech rehearsal on Friday night until about 10pm (come on, really?) and then two shows – one on Saturday evening and one Sunday afternoon. Aside from spending time with my fellow CMP company members (shout out Ashley, Sarah, Lauren, Gina, Lucetta, Cayla, Starr – you guys made the weekend worthwhile!), I was able to somewhat renew my bunhead status and become more aware of the youth dance scene in the DC area. I used to be well-informed on this microcosmic world since I was a part of it (I mean, I wore a bun in my hair to school every day from 3^rd through 8^th grade… social suicide at its finest), but since my last performance of this caliber was approximately my senior year of high school (six years ago!! I’m ancient), it was interesting, to say the least, to make note of the current happenings and progressiveness of dance for tweens and teens… Yes, we were one of the only adult companies at the Festival. Ehhh moving on.

Some girls from Iridescent in our masks and trenches... tizzy.

With guest artist, the amazing Rasta Thomas. Lauren loved it.

First off, let me start off by expressing how magical it was performing on the stage again. Sure, dancing for the Redskins gives me a broad spectrum of fans and a huge football field as my stage – and I absolutely LOVE it – but I undoubtedly miss the glare of the lights, the intrigue of the blackness of the house, the ease of the marley floor, the flutter of heartbeat that millisecond before you emerge from the wings, and the hairpins and hairnets. Yes, I said it – I miss my bun. CMP’s adult company only performed one piece in the festival – Iridescent choreographed by Eddie Garcia, a noted choreographer who is best known for touring with Michael Jackson. Only performing one dance was definitely a tease; therefore, I can’t wait for our show at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater on Saturday, May 14. You should definitely come see us. Even if you have no knowledge of dance, the performance will be full of rapture and will appeal to the most ignorant of eyes – sick (now I mean SICKASSSHIT) hip hop, layered contemporary, polished jazz, something for everyone. Plus you can put on your Cultured Hat for a day and enjoy a nice evening at the theater. Cultured = cool, cool = girls like you; transitive property: cultured = girls like you.

www.capitolmovement.org

Back to the Jazz & Tap Festival. Don’t get me wrong – some of the dances were extremely dynamic and well-choreographed. But most of the dances didn’t fascinate me at all. One piece contained contemporary, jazz, tap, and pointe! I was entirely confused the whole time –blurring all of the lines between types of dance is very progressive and forward, but blurring between four completely different types of dance just takes away from each individual art form and results in a blah grey mess. Some of the pieces were over seven minutes long. I can understand if the length of the piece is due to specified movements, but seven minutes of anti-climatic, perpetual moves to anti-climatic, perpetual music is really just too much. Where is the concept when blending ballet, modern, and jazz?! First the pirouette is turned out, then it’s turned in 45 seconds later? Lines are all well and good but where is the origination of those lines? Dance is a personal and musical expression through each individual muscle… which in turn results in technical perfection. If you can express no passion in your choreography or dancing, you’re better off sitting in the audience, thanks. This newfound discovery of youth studio dance in the now was seriously disconcerting. Maybe I expect more because I expected more of myself at that age, but grow a pair! Take your spotlight with purpose!

Now, let me rave about the greats. Nicole Klett’s choreography is amazing – I marvel at her inspiration and innovation. Michael Hibbs, a 17-year-old student from Fairfax, was not only incredible and fervent, but also diverse! I absolutely love true performers and he was one of the only stand-outs I noticed at the Festival… Other than our very own Pre-Professional CMP company of course – those girls are fierce! Many of the tappers' precision of sound was impeccable - rhythm tap has come a long way, evidently. Now I am no dance critic, merely a subjective viewer who has danced for the past 18 years of her life. But I know a thing or two about passion and more importantly… why we do it. Just watch me ;)