Saturday night, the CFAC auditorium stage was transformed into a dance floor for Eisenhower Dance. According to the company’s website, “Eisenhower Dance has spent the last 24 years giving life to the repertoire of internationally known choreographers, as well as the highly acclaimed work of Artistic Director Laurie Eisenhower. Established in metro Detroit by Eisenhower in 1991, the Company presents an annual subscription series and tours internationally.” The show was a delightful and unexpected mix of ballet and modern dance with colorful exuberance that still provided a thoughtful commentary on the human condition.
The first half of the program was devoted to selections of the company’s repertory dance pieces and the second to the theme, “Motown in Motion.” “In Flight: Catching Air” opened the program, a passionate, dramatic and grace-filled storytelling of instrumental works by Telemann, Bach and Bosso. The story of the piece was touching and deep, an enlightening performance and beautiful to contemplate.
The second piece, “Scintilla,” was filled with profound images, drawing attention to the lines of the dancers’ bodies individually and as a group. A curious and profound exploration of the human condition, it seemed as if the dancers were miming the complexities of emotion and relationships.
Choreographed by Laurie Eisenhower herself, “The Music Lesson” wittily portrayed a music theory lesson using the recorded speaker’s rhythm of speech as the guide for the dancers’ movements. The piece took something that may seem complex and irrelevant to some and brought an air of theatrical playfulness and enjoyment out of it. Interspersed with facetious musical interludes and punny explanatory gestures, “The Music Lesson” received many laughs from the audience.
The second half, titled “Motown in Motion,” featured Motown favorites such as “Got to Give it Up,” “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” “You Haven’t Done Nothing” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Each song had its own unique choreography and movement-story behind it. The dancers changed their costumes in between each piece with unbelievable speed and transitioned from piece to piece with seamless fluidity and grace. The set was full of color, life and vibrancy and carried a sweet tinge of reminiscence for the early 1960s, when Detroit, nicknamed “Motown,” was the birthplace of the musical style.
The grace, athleticism and musicality of the dancers were striking and delightful to watch. Their skill was undeniable and at the end of the night they received a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.
