From some of our reviews...Table of Contents20th Anniversary at The DukeExploredance.com(click here to go to Explore dance.com)Review by Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower May 3, 2003 Andrew Jannetti & Dancers was founded in 1982. Mr. Jannetti has choreographed more than 30 works for his own company and for companies and festivals around the world. His current company includes six dancers, plus guests. Jannetti's signature motif is to create a human experience, onstage, with form and movement. Mr. Jannetti is from South Philadelphia. He studied dance in NY with Nikolais/Louis, Erick Hawkins, Cindi Green, the Jose Limon Institute (See Zlokower and Abrams Limon Reviews), and Besse Schonberg. Much Ado (Premiere): Original Score by Marty Beller, Trumpet: Probyn Gregory, Performed by the Company and Reunited Guests, Costumes by the Dancers. This piece, which is multi-generational and unites dancers from past companies with the current and future dancers, is a look at Jannetti's choreography over the years. The actual piece is rehearsed four times and has a changing cast of 18-24 dancers. The dancers have contributed one Jannetti movement that they recall, and Mr. Jannetti has woven them together into one work. (Company Notes). This is an electronic and peppy piece, hustle music with a new age twist. The blue backdrop, costumes of black pants and colorful tank tops or T-shirts, and images of stillness in bright light, like a fixed image or memory of a smaller ensemble of mixed ages, are all extremely effective in creating a 20-year Reunion retrospective. Nightshades(1996): Original Score by Marty Beller, Live Percussion: Marty Beller, Vocals: David Driver, Performed by Julie Betts, Beth Disharoon, Rachel Lane, Jenny Mendez, Lauren Naslund, and Julia Pond, Costumes by Noemie Lafrance. With a live percussionist, this very interesting piece, performed by women only, combines a new age wailing sound with the drums and symbols. This was a very electric piece, danced in pink and lavender tights, with effective, pink spotlights and flowing choreography. I would have liked to see, however, a much more severe and focused expression on the dancers, some of whom did not appear to be in character to the required mood. Isolation: 2 excerpts (1992): Need: Original Score by Ed Waters, Performed Solo by Andrew Jannetti, Desire: Music by Egberto Gismonti, Performed by Andrew Jannetti and Andreas Wirz, Costumes by Andrew Jannetti. Mr. Janetti, however, is always in character, and this was a volatile and evocative pair of dances, one of longing and one of togetherness, with a decidedly homoerotic quality. Mr. Jannetti's solo was a writhing piece, with an animalistic search for a partner. The second, partnered work was one of completion and seduction. In fact, Mr. Jannetti and Mr. Wirz rolled on the floor, reaching toward each other, sometimes in mirrored images, as if they were in a private space, emotionally and physically secure. The casual costumes were appropriate to the theme. Outsider (2000): Original Score by Marty Beller, Soprano Saxophone and Clarinet: Peter Kiesewalter, Sound Engineer: Carl Royce, Performed by Julie Betts, Beth Disharoon, Andrew Jannetti, Adam MacLean, Jenny Mendez, Lauren Naslund, and Julia Pond, Costumes by Jennifer Brightbill. This was a fascinating score, with electronic music combined with a Clarinet and a Saxophone. I would also like to note, at this point, that the lighting design of all pieces was extremely well conceived. In this particular work, sections of stage were mapped out by deep yellow spotlights. The lighting design changed to a textured effect, which added to the ambiance, an addition most welcome, as the Duke has a stark and casual feel onstage and in the audience. The women danced behind Mr. Jannetti in this piece, like a Greek Chorus that announced the mood of the moment. This was a dance of self-expression, as Mr. Jannetti and Mr. MacLean danced in a style, usually reserved for a male and female partnership. Mr. Jannetti's tank top and slacks were most effective as he initially walked a yellow runway, like a male model on public view. Later this costume served to heighten the tension in his expressive partnering. I would also like to note that Ms. Naslund is an extremely skilled dancer, and seems to work very well around Mr. Jannetti in all thematic and choreographed roles. Puddle Bumps (1993): Choreography Assistants: Barbara Crosio and Lauren Naslund, Original Score: Ascent at Maski, by Ronnie Cusmano, Performed by Julie Betts, Beth Disharoon, and Jenny Mendez, Costumes by Ellen Mahlke. With green lights, black costumes, and a green backdrop, this campy piece was about three friends. The physicality in this piece contrasted sharply with the previous piece, as there was no tension or chemistry, just an intertwining of friends, very symbolic of female bonding. This was a colorful and upbeat work, with the backdrop changing from green to yellow to red. All Jannetti pieces are danced barefoot, and this one had an effective primitive quality, with athletic imagery. Whisper (1995): Original Sound Score by Ronnie Cusmano, Poetry by Ken Freeman, Performed by Andrew Jannetti, Voices: Kathy Enders, Andrew Jannetti, Glen Loiacono, and Lauren Naslund, Costume by Suzanne Gallo. Jannetti has an intense focus, and this piece was actually disturbing at times. There was whispered poetry in the background, something about the softness of kitten whiskers and other similar images. This dance seemed to be about the nature of love, loss, and death. Jannetti, in a gray unitard, used a whispering motion with his arm and finger, put to his mouth, which was repeated intermittently. For me, this piece was too severe. However, there was a cathartic emotionality, which played against the poetry and allusions of softness. Water Cello Dreams (Premiere): Music: Bach Cello Suite in E flat Major, interpreted by Pablo Casals, Costumes by Jennifer Brightbill, Performed by the Company. It was nice to hear Pablo Casals on solo cello (See Casals on the Web). The female dancers, in purple and green costumes, some ruffled and textured, interacted in a minor way with Mr. Jannetti, except for Lauren Naslund. Ms. Naslund performed a highly skilled solo and seemed to relate well to Mr. Jannetti, and their duo was connected and charismatic. Something about the choreography in this work was reminiscent of the Paul Taylor Company (See Taylor Reviews, 3/8/03, 3/21/03). The arms sailing in the wind and the large, twirling leaps and lifts to the music of Bach were Tayloresque in the visual and emotional imagery. All in all, this was a very long but quality program, in the midst of 42nd Street, on a very busy Saturday night. It was well worth the effort, and I look forward to hearing about Andrew Jannetti & Dancers in the future. My only suggestions may be to tighten and shorten the program, save the lighting design pauses for intermission, and work on the seriousness of attitude and focus of some of the female dancers, who seemed a bit out of character. With maturity and practice, these dancers, too, will grow into professional and multi-talented dancers, such as Lauren Naslund and Andrew Jannetti. Kudos to Mr. Jannetti for his incredible talents and energy. Offoffoff.comMAY 9, 2003 OFFOFFOFF.COM - THE GUIDE TO ALTERNATIVE NEW YORK By DONNA BOUTHILLER Retrospective Classicism In a solid evening of work, Andrew Jannetti & Dancers celebrate 20 years of heartfelt dance, determination and drive. While at times lacking in originality, Jannetti's honest, gentle spirit shines through with refreshing candor and simplicity. Andrew Jannetti and Dancers celebrated their 20th anniversary with a retrospective at the Duke on 42nd Street, April 30-May 4, 2003. A choreographer with a penchant for the classical, Jannetti showed works from the past 20 years and premiered two new pieces. The concert opened with a bang, a stage filled with 20 plus dancers in primary color simplicity. "Much Ado" had a Sesame Street-like charm and its fair share of sentimentality. Performing were "past, present and future" company members and the piece was created from the dancers' memories of movement they'd learned from Jannetti over the years. Even before knowing the nostalgic and quirky process of making this piece, it was hard to resist the energy of that many exuberant movers. Throughout the evening Jannetti's work is filled with a simplicity of form and style rarely seen these days. He makes good use of basic choreographic tools such as cannon Ñ without putting a spin on them: And we are reminded of how effective simplicity can be. His straightforward style is refreshing and yet it seems that an originality of voice has not been fully developed. There are moments in the night when Jannetti begins to break out of the easy classicism that he does so well, and explore a vocabulary all his own. Several such moments occur in the 2 excerpts of "Isolation", which both resonate with emotional honesty. In the first, a solo for Jannetti entitled "Need", he begins curled in a ball doing an awkward rocking motion that, if it goes far enough, promises to take us into uncharted territory. Something real is emerging as Jannetti truly experiences something. It is exciting, but it is cut short. Several times in this solo he gets caught in awkward moments of self-struggle, but he always breaks out of them too easily, too quickly and returns to a vocabulary that is a bit generic. Despite this, an underlying honesty is glimpsed. This emotional truth is also present in the second excerpt, "Desire" a lovely and touching duet between Jannetti and Andreas Wirz. Without any great theatrics, these men move us and draw us into their relationship. Andrew Jannetti has a talent for choosing the right dancers. Throughout the evening the strong, beautiful company members own the movement. They find weight and subtlety within the most classical movements. In "Outsider", Jannetti begins in a corridor of light, with a chorus of murky figures far in the background. As he repeats typical jazz movements the audience's eye is drawn to the slow motion power of the chorus. There is a sense of journey, for although Jannetti remains the Outsider, he is definitely affected by his interactions with the mysterious chorus. The luscious sweeping score is by Marty Bellar Ñ who made the music for many of Jannetti's pieces, displaying a wide range of color and texture within his sound. Other works included the quirky "Puddle Jump" nicely performed by Julie Betts, Beth Disharoon, and Jenny Mendez; "Nightshades" a simple, classical piece for 5 women; and "Whisper" a solo for Jannetti in which his dancing and the sound score (with powerful text by Ken Freeman) take turns in the foreground. Notable is the premier "Water Cello Dreams" set to Bach's Cello Suite in E flat Major and which plays with different states and movements of water. There's the sweeping pull of the undertow, the excitement of a swell. In "Mist", the eye is allowed to scan gently from one couple to another. In "Crest" the movement is bright and sharp. The piece begins with a lovely solo for longtime company member Lauren Naslund and ends with a duet between Naslund and Jannetti Ñ full of the easy fun of longtime friends. A fitting end for this retrospective. New York TimesDANCE: A 20th Anniversary Tribute to Loyalty and Affection Andrew Jannetti at The Duke on 42nd Street JENNIFER DUNNING Andrew Jannetti celebrated his company's 20th anniversary with an ambitious two-program engagement at the Duke. Each program began with a new piece called "Much Ado," set to music by Marty Beller, which introduced dancers who have performed with Mr. Jannetti over the years. He clearly inspires loyalty and affection, and his approach to making dances is one of a lifelong devotee. But only one of the eight pieces performed on Friday night had any individual flavor. That piece was "Dancing With My Father," a new solo for Mr. Jannetti, which was set to music by Mr. Beller. Dressed in a business shirt, pants and tie, Mr. Jannetti distilled love and longing with the simplest of moves and gestures, including a hand that gently cupped the side of his face like a momentary wordless message of affection. This was a dance that only he could have made, it seemed. It was also a dance that touched an aspect of his own life. There was little of that sense of inevitability and personal voice to the balance of the program, which featured Lauren Naslund, Mr. Jannetti's longtime muse. Christalyn Wright, a guest choreographer, contributed a trio called "Identifying Worth: The Aftermath of Beauty" in which, mystifyingly, Mr. Jannetti sang the Ave Maria, while Jenny Mendez and Julia Pond tangled mischievously, then demurely. Excerpts from Past ReviewsExcerpts from
About the concert...About Moonwater...About Puddle Bumps...About Fallen Angel...About Nightshades...Excerpts from About the concert...
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