"Cinderella" Contemporary Dance by Liz Gahl Le Notre
You can read the full review and see more photos for the DC Dance Journalism Project here. Below describes the premiere “Cinderella,” one of three pieces choreographed by Liz Gahl Le Notre and Therese Gahl in the evening-length performance Nocturne at the Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival.
“Cinderella” featured classical ballerina Eleonore Dugue, hip-hop b-boy Karim “Pepito” Ahansal, and flamenco bailaora Rosa Herrador Sousa. Their three distinct styles allowed for creative partnering work, Dugue holding classic poses like an arcing fish dive while Ahansal clutched her around the middle in a more utilitarian, less balletic way. The combination gave the pose a feeling of intimacy and urgency.
Photo by Ruth Judson, Dancers are Karim “Pepito” Ahansal and Eleonore Dugue.
Sousa, dressed in yellow pants, a white men’s shirt, and dark red lipstick, began with a slow deliberate walk to center stage. She sensuously slid to the floor, bowing low to hit the ground with a yellow fan before flicking it open. Ahansal pop-and-locked a pantomime tightening of his tie and smoothed out his blue button-down, left open over a white t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Dugue, in a white slip and pointe shoes, looked like Bambi trying to stand for the first time, her legs wobbling as she attempted to rise after tripping into the spotlight.
Dugue and Ahansal, dancing the parts of Cinderella and the Prince, emitted innocent joy and playfulness as they chased each other in circles, balanced on an imaginary tightrope, and rolled across the stage like children barrelling down a grassy hill. Reminded of the time, Dugue dashed off. Ahansal desperately clutched at her foot, then air.
As he searched for his lost love, Ahansal’s hand seemed to operate on its own. It dodged through trees and careened down rivers, pulling his body along after it. His waving arms comically transferred to his arching eyebrows. His knees knocked inward as he sunk to the floor, then he kicked his legs out like a Russian Trepak dancer before spinning atop his head, legs akimbo.
Sousa reappeared in a huge hoop skirt with over two dozen pointe shoes tied to the frame. She moved with such deliberateness that we were spellbound as she took a slow ten seconds to raise her arms.
Photo by Ruth Judson, Dancer is Rosa Herrdor Sousa.
Predictably, Cinderella and the Prince were happily reunited. After using the pointe shoes to make various patterns on the stage, Dugue lovingly picked them up. She stared at each one reverently, then tucked it into her arm until she was cradling a bouquet of two dozen shoes. Miraculously she danced without dropping them, extending her leg up overhead as her torso dipped low. As she slowly walked backward, she let one escape. A spotlight shown on the lone pink satin shoe as the curtains slowly closed.
Nocturne included two other fabulous literary-inspired pieces, which you can read about here. Clicking the link will help us continue to cover local dance (our funders love seeing readership <3) .