Spicy Dance Fiesta By Matteson

Author: Chris Grosso

The audience is sitting in a circle on the Dance Theater floor. The intimate arrangement encompasses two men dressed in three-quarter black pants and sleeveless white-collared shirts. They glide around the arena with the grace, poise and confidence of a matador on the onset of combat. The Spanish "Bolero" music permeates the air while the audience holds its breath. Expecting a display of graceful and elegant movements, the men charge at each other and the battle begins.

On Nov. 7 and 8, award-winning dancer Paul Matteson '00 put up his show "Paul Matteson and Friends: In Concert." He performed with Amy Chavasse, Middlebury College Artist-in-Residence, and Joseph Poulson, one of Matteson's fellow members in David Dorfman Dance, a New York-based company. The event, a dance concert consisting of three new pieces, was a passionate and inspiring exploration of movement.

"!Bullseye!," the second piece of the night, was an entangled and physical duet and some of the most beautiful fighting imaginable. Matteson and Poulson dueled with a bull-fighting motif in mind. The improvisational game blended camaraderie and competition to create a highly energizing scene. Middlebury College Visiting Artist in Dance and Theatre Peter Schmitz, standing on the outside of the circle, served as the commentator and added a comedic element as he antagonized the dancers. Their draining performance enthralled the spectators in the span of 20 minutes, making them laugh and gasp, leaving them speechless and asking themselves, "Are they hurt?" The lifts left the audience awestruck and the fearless charging was exciting. The movements were characterized by sharp turns, stamping of the feet and pauses in position. The intensity was rousing and left me wanting to engage in combat.

In definite contrast to "!Bullseye!" was "Rock Steady," the opening piece. Chavasse's solo was a striking presentation. Matteson, the choreographer, succeeded in communicating the idea of performing for oneself. As the lights were turned on, Chavasse presided over the intimidating Dance Theater and didn't seem to take notice of the audience. Throughout her solo, she randomly but deliberately sang. She was dancing for herself and her style was raw but demonstrated the utmost maturity and self-control via her delicate and fluid movements. Her poise was charming and she stirred feelings of sensuality - especially with those dramatic hip thrusts.

The final piece "I Simply Live Now" captured that moment a person experiences just before a decision is made. Matteson's lengthy solo demonstrated his versatility as an artist. The piece was a solo choreographed for Matteson by Schmitz. The simplistic set was adorned with white rocks carefully organized into four corners and served as a path that Matteson seemed to follow through his movements. He brilliantly played with a few dance sequences to compose a dramatic story. Dressed in a suit, his performance conjured an image of soul-searching as he dramatically recited lines to a narrative and seemed to embrace the life around him.

Matteson's show was a testament to his creativity and talent as a director, choreographer and dancer. He combined the sublime with the natural to offer a revealing and real commentary on human expression.