Cincy Fringe newcomer allendance’s bloom is a breathtaking display of grace, strength and skill. Visiting from Philadelphia, allendance describes bloom as “inspired by kinetic-driven, ‘movement as plot’ writings of David Ohle’s 1972 cult classic, Motorman. bloom is a rapid unfolding of three dancers, colliding softly and recklessly with one another.”
Audience members unfamiliar with Ohle and Motorman can still enjoy allendance’s hypnotic performance. The piece, performed at Gabriel’s Corner (Sycamore at Liberty), opens with a stunning duet featuring dancers Crystal Nicole and Andrea Lanzetti and then adds a third, Ashley Lippolis. Together, the trio explores motion and spatial relationships, relishing the musical soundscape composed by Ross Pederson and Grammy winner Bob Lanzetti.
bloom is packed with movement rooted in the earthy groundedness of modern dance. The piece, according to allendance, is meant “to cradle and rock the viewers, inviting them in with each blind-faith fall, cling and catch.” Nicole, Lanzetti and Lippolis dance in supple harmony, a confident ensemble of movers who know the work and one another well and are therefore free to pitch their bodies in any direction. Gravity guides the dancers down into beautifully imperfect shapes before the group eases into a series of lifts and weight shares that seem effortlessly executed. The dancing sinks deep into the floor and floats on top of it.
One of the many delights of seeing dance at Cincy Fringe is the opportunity to be in such close proximity to dancers onstage. Audience members get a luxurious experience of the work: the sound of feet connecting with the floor and the swish of bodies in ecstatic motion creates an electric atmosphere, a rare and special experience with dancers of bloom’s caliber.
Simply put, bloom is beautiful, made of skillfully crafted movement carefully assembled into choreography that is gentle, organic and human.
The Cincinnati Fringe Festival runs through June 10. Find showtimes, tickets and more info here.
