Douglas Dunn & Dancers premieres ‘Aidos’

Douglas Dunn & Dancers in New YorkDouglas Dunn & Dancers presents the world premiere of Aidos at Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York starting tonight, February 11, through Sunday, February 15.

 

Aidos is a new work by dance veteran Douglas Dunn, who has been performing and choreographing for 43 years. He likes to collaborate with poets, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers and playwrights to offer a multifaceted theatrical experience. In the past, he has created works for renowned companies like the Paris Opera Ballet and has been recognized with a Bessie Award for sustained achievement in dance.

 

Aidos features dancing by Dunn himself, plus Jules Bakshi, Alexandra Berger, Emily Pope-Blackman, Jin Ju Song-Begin, Jessica Martineau, Paul Singh, Jake Szczypek and Timothy Ward. It is set to Bach Cello Suites as performed live by Ha-Yang Kim. Aidos presents costume designs by Andrew Jordan and lighting design by Carol Mullins.

 

Though highly stylized and elegant, as is typical of Dunn’s work, the piece allows Aidos, the Greek goddess of shame, to appear as a split personality danced by two six-foot tall women, Jin Ju Song-Begin and Jessica Martineau. Their ongoing duel, juxtaposed against six more affiliated dancers, is the focal point of the general suggestion of dance display as inherently embarrassing. The beauty of the Bach Suites and the sleek black and gold costumes by Andrew Jordan keep the mordant theme from shredding the luxuriant texture of the hour-long dance.

 

Tickets are $20 and are still available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1040421. For more information on Douglas Dunn & Dancers, visit www.douglasdunndance.com.

 

Photo: Douglas Dunn & Dancers. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.