This weekend was one of the finest and most enjoyable Winspear experiences ever with the flawless Command Performance & Gala 2015 and our Annie, St. Vincent with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra! Click through for my recollection of such a fantastic weekend.
"An Exceptional Night of Dance" – TITAS presents Command Performance & Gala at ATTPAC's Winspear Opera House.
Charles Santos' impact on our city continues to impress with each passing show presented by TITAS. This year's command performance was a powerhouse of dance figures from abroad and from our very own backyard. The beautiful Sara Mearns showcasing her amazing pose with Tyler Angle in two incredible pieces. The second act performance by Sara and Tyler was "This Bitter Earth" and caused many to tear up with it's haunting musical accompaniment.
Dallas ties were showcased with the diminutive but utterly powerful dancers Albert Drake, Alex Karigan Farrior and Joshua L. Peugh's presences. Albert was with the statuesque Clifford Williams for the night's only World Premiere, AWAKEN by choreographer Adam Hougland (another Dallas connection). Clifford also closed the night with San Francisco and Chinese sensation Yuan Yuan Tan. Alex and Joshua (DTC's Colossal choreographer) brought a touch of Judy Garland with "Critics of the Morning Song", easily one of the funniest pieces ever at Command Performance. But the evening was dominated by Lil Buck and the Momix Duo of Rebecca Rasmussen & Steven Ezra Marshall.
The Momix experience may be the most unique and dynamic dance spectacle you'll ever witness. "TUU" showcased the amazing flexibility needed to pull off one of the most mind bending duo dances I've ever witnessed. "Dreamcatcher" used a sculpture that was designed by Alan Boeding and Construction to give the most eye-catching experience of Command Performance 2015. But if one dancer owns the stage it is the modern hero that is Lil Buck. Both "Brotsjor" and "Swan" were captivating as Lil Buck's mixture of hip-hop into the beauty of modern dance has really taken over the scene. Here is but a taste of the "Swan" experience.
Overall Command Performance & Gala 2015 was a massive hit and ushers in the exciting 2015/16 all dance TITAS season entitled BREAKING NORMAL.
Little Annie Clark is quite frankly the new Prince mixed in with the funky style of David Bryne and the darkness of David Lynch all rolled up into a guitar goddess, aka St. Vincent.
St. Vincent demonstrates what a powerful presence can do for an audience. You simply are mesmerized by her unique original style who's atmosphere is a bright color spectrum of pure musical greatness. The crazy Texas weather thankfully pushed it's Richardson product inside the serene surroundings of the Winspear Opera House. A packed house got to not only experience the sonic bliss of St. Vincent but her band was backed by the elegance of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. She took us through her incredible self-titled album including a magical version of Digital Witness.
Annie Clark is a real treasure of the Dallas scene. It's most appropriate that we were all on our feet and gave an incredibly raucous ovation to the young sensation. It was such a long applause sequence that the entire DSO and Annie's backing band bowed three times and left the stage leaving only leaving St. Vincent awaiting a final bow of the night. What a way to give one of our own a real special good night! So proud of the Dallas community for coming out for this wild weekend at the Winspear, aka the "heart of our city".
