SueMo Dance Company came on the Milwaukee scene in 2014 and was established by two dance artists, Melissa Sue Anderson and Morgan “Mo” Williams. “Act III,” the fifth SueMo performance presented in Milwaukee, was held at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts.
The night’s performance was said to go on at 6:30 pm, but unfortunately audience members waited about a half hour past that for the show to begin. Whether technical difficulties or otherwise were the issue is unclear. Though I cannot comment on all 10 pieces of the night justly, each piece held its own distinct theme and placed virtuosity, strong technique, and emotional expression as top priority.
Williams choreographed the first piece of the night, entitled MC3. Hooded figures took the stage confrontationally, emphasizing forceful group choreography. I wondered who these hooded figures were, though, and couldn’t seem to fully understand their backstory. Who were these people in this dark society, and what was I to learn of them other than their strength?
I Lie, choreographed by Brittany Fegan, was an elegant tribute to the possibilities of the human body. Soloist Stanley Glover was lit in blue light, and absolutely dominated a sequence of movements that seemed catered just to his elongated and remarkably strong physique. I wanted the piece to go on for much longer than it did. Chills rippled down my spine as I sat in awe.
Numb, choreographed by Anderson, while executed beautifully by four women, left me wanting more. These dancers were aesthetically lovely and visceral, clearly understanding the poetic motion within their bodies, but I felt as if I was being set up for a story that never revealed itself entirely.
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Beneath My Skin, choreographed by Williams, is relevant to this past weekend’s events in Milwaukee. Accompanied by sound clips of Malcom X, the men were dressed only in black shorts, unashamedly showing the black tones to their skin. The first half of the dance expressed a gentleness that the media does not often portray while describing black citizens caught in conflict, often times with police. The second half of the dance was an obvious tribute to their African roots and to times of slavery. I sat in my seat, amazed by raw power and connected to the backstory of their characters.
