Review: PERIDANCE PRESENTS THE LEGACY FESTIVAL 40TH ANNIVERSARY at NYU Skirball Center

"40 years ago, Peridance was born," says Igal Perry, Founder and Artistic Director of Peridance Center and Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. "...I had two students, one investor, my family, and a dream." Perry, speaking onstage at NYU Skirball Theater, celebrated the Legacy Festival commemorating 40 years of dance making, educating, collaborating, and innovating. The Legacy Festival concludes a week-long run of six different programs compiling works by internationally acclaimed choreographers. "It's only fitting to have such a sensational lineup of events to celebrate this momentous anniversary," says Perry. "We couldn't be more excited to welcome audiences old and new to celebrate with us."

Tenacious and expressive, Perry had a vision for the powerhouse that is Peridance since his childhood. "My mom once told me, I don't care what you do, as long as what you do is what you love to do," says Perry. His fierce commitment to developing an acclaimed dance community and educational space in the East Village is as admirable as his emphasis on honoring impactful individuals. In between the many works presented on Monday evening, recipients Maxine Glorsky and Eva Evdokimova were each honored a Peridance Legacy Award. Tender and heartfelt, audience's clapping reverberates in the room as the awards are presented. "Igal has created so much beauty out of something that was never there before and I am honored to work with him," says Glorsky.

Opening the gala performance is Diego Funes's Synapses performed by Peridance Youth Ensemble. Fresh and bubbling, each dancer owns repetitive movement in different bright colored socks. The movement appears coincidental and spontaneous yet executed with momentousness. Following opening remarks from Perry appears the Peridance Certificate Program in Preston Mui's Better Than Him, costumed with sharp black blazers, heels, and batons. Electric and feminine, the dancers perform choreographic canons and unison with confidence.

Featured group works include performances by Sun Kim Dance Theatre's Alien of Extraordinary and Peridance's professional program MOPTOP Universal's HOT MUSIC. Alien of Extroardinary does not fail to excite, with reflective golden masks transforming Kim's dancers into creature-like robots. Electric shaking, tutting, and isolations excite the audience with a gasp-like sensation drawn from Kim's iconic choreographic style. HOT MUSIC, set between two concert dance pieces, is a refresh and reset on the stage. Filled with spirited street dance, MOPTOP Universal uplifts the audience with ease, as the dancers' faces and feet involuntarily shine infectious joy.

Multiple duets showcase the power of connection between two performers, and the intricacy in which choreographic partnering can illustrate. Paloma Triste is the evening's first duet, choreographed by Perry with dancers Alexandre Barranco and Mizuho Kappa. Originally created for Peridance Center Dance Company's 21st Anniversary, Paloma Triste is soft, sweet, and romantic. Barranco and Kappa's eye contact and smiles compliment the ambience of airy floating music with Spanish lyrics sung by Caetano Veloso. Kappa's swift developpés swing high above the floor, soaring over Kappa who executes lifts and counterbalance with trust. The second duet is Duet Mabul by Ohad Naharin featuring dancers Colin Heininger and Joslin Vezeau. Naharin, the Israeli creator of Gaga movement language and Batsheva Dance Company, set the duet to strums of Vivaldi. "Duet Mabul" translates to "Flood," as both dancers in grey shirts and shorts play with force, magnetized to each other to build and break again and again.

Perry, to the audience's delight, is seen onstage dancing with Nikki Holck in Piece D'occasion. Fragile and sentimental, Perry and Holck dance in respective spotlights, breaking and retrieving back to their chairs. Holck's toes and ankles gradually tremor as she attempts to walk and dance downstage. Finally connected, Perry and Holck share a tender moment interlocked, inspiring thoughts of lifespan and cherishing. Second to last is an excerpt of Requiem performed by Manish Chauhan and Matthew Schroeder, originally choreographed in the early 1990's for the Kwang-Ju City Ballet Company in South Korea. Shroeder elevates Chauhan with grace, both dancers in complete synchronousness with beautiful balletic lines. Lastly, Jeffrey Cirio and Vezeau perform You are the Piece choreographed by Gregory Dolbashian. Cirio sweeps onstage with elaborate floorwork, gliding, and gesticulations. His movement and lines are unparallel, and ultimately complimented by Vezeau's grace once joined by her.

Between duets occur excerpts of Robert Battle's The Hunt, a quartet with ferocious dynamic and agency and Nicholas Palmquist's Type 5, a playful and lively jive, switching up the audience mood. Dancer John Lam performs an exquisite solo to Ave Maria choreographed by Igal Perry premiering in 2001. Franz Schubert's music plays and Lam expresses through the muscles of his back, chest, and arms, reaching farther than his fingertips and jumping with springiness. Lam's grace and technique is unmatched.

Concluding the evening, the entire Peridance Contemporary Dance Company performs one of Perry's most acclaimed and iconic works Bolero, which was initially created for Batsheva Dance Company in 1983 at the Israeli Philharmonic. Bolero in physical form resembles much of Perry's mission for Peridance as a whole: strength, tenacity, and gratitude. Each dancer is resilient, supporting each other and dancing through the marathon of the never-ending musical progressions. "I feel honored to simultaneously have a history to reflect on and a vision to look forward to - both defined by the community we have built together," says Perry.

Celebrating Legacy Award Winners Maxine Glorsky & Eva Evdokimova and featuring performances by PCDC, SAP Youth Ensemble, Certificate Program, MOPTOP Universal, Sun Kim Dance Theatre, Jeffrey Cirio, and John Lam. Featured revival and premiere works by choreographers: Diego Funes, Igal Perry, Preston Mui, Sun Kim, Ohad Naharin, Robert Battle, Nicholas Palmquist, and Gregory Dolbashian.

For more information, visit peridance.com/40.cfm

Photo Credit: Headline photo by Liz Schnieder-Cohen, Igal Perry: photo courtesy of Peridance Center, Last photo by Liz-Schnieder-Cohen

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