Photo Credit: Halle Sivertson
From left to right: Alex Seager, Elisabeth Roskopf, Joshua Yang, Debrasha Greye.
It must say something about the realities for dance and music artists in Milwaukee that a major new work by choreographer Gina Laurenzi and composer Allen Russell, one that must have cost countless hours to create, had its world premiere and its closing performance back to back on Saturday, Nov. 2. I’m glad I could see it. Members of the dance community attended along with what I’m guessing were many student artists. According to the program notes, an excerpt will appear in Danceworks Performance MKE’s February concert, so there’s that.
The phonetically spelled title /ˌmaskəˈrād/ is a mask of the word “masquerade,” or vice-versa. The artwork’s subject is classic: the fear of self-revelation, the difficulty of coming out as different in a society suspicious of difference. It’s an ambitious work, well over an hour long, wonderful to see and hear. Attractive old furniture, glowing lamps and decorative tchotchkes lined the dance floor of the Danceworks Studio Theater. A glided bird cage with a sculpted bird was spotlighted overhead. Colin Gawronksi’s warm, emotive lighting was just right. The creative bohemian costumes would win a particularly eccentric Project Runway challenge. The animal and human masks the dancers wore were beautiful in the style of commedia dell’arte. No wonder they wouldn’t take them off.
Co-founder of Milwaukee’s Tontine Ensemble and jazz fiddle player with his band Swing Chevron, Russell has become the city’s go-to guy for dance accompaniment composed or improvised. This score for live string quartet and electronics is richly varied, suspenseful and atmospheric when it needs to be, strongly percussive and tuneful at other times. Playing violin and computer board, and with cellist Viktor Brusubardis, bassist Michael Russo and Tontine bandmate Molly Lieberman on viola, Russell held the whole performance in a musical embrace.
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Laurenzi assembled an excellent cast for the Gina Laurenzi Dance Project presentation. What happens is this: Eight masked dancers cross paths and form a tentative society. Dancer Elizabeth Roskopf dares to remove her mask. Her impressive balancing skills symbolize the character’s vulnerable position. Encouraged by Roskopf, Alex Seager unmasks briefly, but Joshua Yang soon inspires her to retreat. Then Waynah L. Frazier finds and keeps the courage to reveal his face. Debrasha Greye, Maggie Seer, Gabi Sustache, Yang and Laurenzi wait to do it, finally, as a group. Laurenzi is also a teacher. She wants to inspire us. This work is newborn. It will grow if given the chance.
