'Birdhouse' greets Earth Day

Author: Alexandra Hay

In celebration of Earth Day 2005, Professor of Dance Andrea Olsen presented the Birdhouse Project, a collaboration of over 20 dancers intended to perform outside by the Center for the Arts pond last Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Those who went Friday were lucky enough to see the performance outside against the backdrop of the Green mountains. Unfortunately, the rainy weather and the soggy ground forced the performance to be moved inside Saturday and Sunday. However, with a birdhouse set created by local Vermont artist Carl Phelps and the afternoon sunlight pouring in through the windows, the Dance Theatre seemed almost an outside venue itself.

Each day featured different artists, although the majority of the performances remained the same each day. The dancers included students, Middlebury graduates, community members and faculty. Co-created by Olsen and the dancers, the choreography was inspired by the movement quality of birds and themes of migration, navigation and display.

Middlebury graduate Ben Brouwer '04 performed the first featured solo in a goofy tweed suit and hat over bright red socks. He was soon joined by Lisa Gonzales '93, attired in an equally goofy tweed suit and prim hat. The talent and maturity of both dancers was immediately obvious, yet the movement remained opaque and distant, an example of the odd flatness inspired by some modern dance that refuses to evoke emotion and stubbornly remains movement for movement's sake.

Some of the strongest moments of the performance came through in the quirky humor displayed by such episodes as Brouwer riding a squeaky yellow bike around and around the studio or climbing up the stone entryway to the Dance Theatre in a little pink tutu. Eclectic and colorful costuming choices underlined the playful aspect of the performance as Kristen Smart '05 walked onstage in purple converse sneakers, orange socks, a polka dot skirt and layered purple and pink tank tops or when Sharon Korey '07 delicately tended to her garden in big green galoshes. In an extravagant red and black ruffled tutu, Devon Parish '05 played with the audience, smiling and demurely coy as she displayed her exquisite ballet technique.

These Vaudeville moments evoked delighted laughter from the audience. The odd combination of humor and serious intent persisted throughout the show until it began to feel natural, and quite probably originated in the personality of director Olsen herself. Olsen performed near the end of the piece, bringing a darker hilarity to the performance as she flapped around stage and seemed to embody the slightly crazy woman who will wear purple just because. Amy Chavasse, artist-in-residence in Dance, joined Olsen and the two faced off before relaxing into a comfortable duet.

Chavasse was simply mesmerizing to watch, each movement filled to the brim with potential and meaning, breaking through the opaque distance created by the other dances completely. Instead of presentational movement or a body onstage, it felt like watching the mind inhabit and explore each motion.

Another highlight of the show, Ryan Johnson '06 broke through the audience/performer barrier completely as he played the audience in classic break-dancer style, sneering and posturing, completely at home onstage. Catch him in the dining hall and you'd get the same look. Strutting around the birdhouses, Johnson performed impressive stunts that brought gasps of appreciation from the older female community members in the audience.

The true highlight of the show came at the very end, however, when over 20 dancers came onstage and moved together, creating a stir all around the central still figure of Julia Basso '04.5. As Julia slowly moved back and forth and watched the movement eddy and flow all around her, you could almost feel spring blossoming and growing before your eyes, the energy and quiet commotion of birds nesting and plants growing. A recent graduate, Basso was overcome by Sunday's performance and cried while continuing to dance, pushing the intensity and beauty of the moment to the limit. The show ended as everyone walked out the door, waving good-bye to the audience.