Friday, January 5, 2007

Dance Across the City at The Strand Theatre: a brief photo essay

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543 Columbia Avenue, Dorchester, Mass.



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Are there any theatre lobbies in town that wouldn't be improved by the addition of a large picture of John Coltrane?



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The original Strand Theatre Wurlitzer from 1918...I wonder if Duke Ellington ever played it or if it was used to accompany Ray Bolger?



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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre closes the program and brings down the house



What a fun event this was; the audience certainly saw a wide variety of dance and without question some eyes were opened. Some personal highlights....Pilobolus getting wild applause mid-dance for each remarkable move they executed (it was a great contrast to the typically inward response of a "dance audience" - I bet dancers need that kind of response at some level, just "Wow!"), bet Pilobolus didn't get that reception when they danced Symbiosis at The Shubert in December!...watching Otis Cook from Pilobolus sign programs after the show for a beautiful, shy girl with braces who looked to be about eight...watching Misa Kuranga and Reyneris Reyes from Boston Ballet partially obscured by a piece of P.A.equipment while I stood far stage right. I love seeing old forms squeezed into new venues; that P.A. equipment announced that we weren't in the closed set of a ballet performance, but that ballet was on a field trip...the tremendous performance given by the dancers from the Boston Arts Academy (didn't I tell you?)...watching the Arts Academy dancers watching Ailey from the back of the house, some gaping, some dancing along...watching Kirven Boyd from the Ailey company - a Boston native - standing in front of the theatre after the performance looking poised and confident among family and friends...watching Mayor Menino standing calmly at the front of house just watching his constituents...the fancier uniforms worn by several of Boston's Finest (do they have to dress up for the mayor?).

I've said it before and I'll say it again: You should have been there...

Tomorrow it's Citi Performance Center - all day, pull on your tights and get down there, ok?



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