Fall Bravo! 2011
Eugene weekly’s guide to the performing arts
Incendiaries and Artistry
Latin-jazz fusion meets Eugene dance styles
Reality Theater
Trial by Fire Theatreworks gets new digs in the Whit
Hop, Skip and Jump
A Year with Frog and Toad coming to Cottage Theatre
Incendiaries and Artistry
Latin-jazz fusion meets Eugene dance styles
By Dante Zuñiga-West
What do you get when you mix a richly textured Latin-jazz fusion guitar trio with a dance performance formally choreographed by a ballet company full of virtuosos? The answer is fuego (“fire” in Spanish). Incendios, a music and dance performance named after the Spanish word for “fire” (not the actual element, but the situation of a fire), is burning down stages this fall in Eugene.
 |
What makes this performance so hot is the multilayered and complex music of bass-guitarist Lisa Carbé, guitarist Jean-Pierre Durand and guitarist Jim Stubblefield, a collaboration that allows the versatile choreography of Ballet Fantastique’s Donna and Hannah Bontrager to catch flame.
“There is so much improvisation and mixture of styles in our music,” says Carbé. “No one musical style captures it, and no one form of dance discipline covers what can be done to our music. In this respect, Ballet Fantastique is uniquely suited to the task.”
Carbé, a classically trained guitarist, paid her dues in the music industry gigging with the ‘80s metal group Vixen. Her flair naturally complements the eclectic mix of sound that her Los Angeles trio brings to the table alongside Ballet Fantastique.
For a bold, cross-discipline dance company like Ballet Fantastique, this collaboration of the arts is a virtual showcase opportunity. “The show is varied, but the common thread is this fiery virtuosity,” says choreographer Donna Marisa Bontrager.
A handful of the dance pieces are comprised of portions from Ballet Fantastique’s most popular works, such as “Daphnis and Chloe,” “Tango Forte” and “Orion. ” But new, all-original choreography also will be highlighted and on display, wrapped in the sound-tapestry of skillful guitar playing.
Pay close attention to Act II of Incendios, which brings to light some of the latest choreography from Donna and Hannah Bontrager. Pieces such as “Tango Para Abel,” “Misterioso” and “Viheula” are works that best display the vision inspired by the music.
For dance and music fans, Incendios is a rare treat and an exciting show to witness — the meeting of two ridiculously talented groups, igniting a multi-disciplined blaze across genres.
Incendios plays Oct. 22-23 at the Hult Center; $27-$33