NYC Dance Happenings- Gallim Dance

Gallim Dance
By: Ashley L. Mathus

Andrea Miller’s company, Gallim Dance, is nothing short of extraordinary. Dance Magazine named Andrea Miller one of the “25 to Watch” in its January 2009 issue; not only did we watch, we were transfixed. Founded in 2006, Gallim Dance is a NYC based company known for its “kinetic and intimate expressions of the self and its inner mosaic of weaknesses, desires, and struggles.” Miller’s evening length work, Blush creates, regurgitates and weaves fiery choreography within a world we only can wish to be a part of. Seven dancers, three females and four males, dance like they mean it for a non-stop sixty minutes. Can’t it be forever?

Blush opens with a solo by Moo Kim. Agile and fierce, Kim has no limits- his arms leave behind trails of momentum while his body pops with aggressive vigor. Gallim’s refreshing choreography and intricate body language stimulates and entices, while multiple sexual innuendos and alien-like postures integrate human instincts and classic techniques. Each dancer jumps like it’s their last chance, twisting and jiving without emoting attitudes of immortality.

Francesca Romo, Rehearsal Director and co-founder of Gallim Dance, appears to be a creature from another planet. Her obtuse body angles and alluring face toys with our emotions as we are brought into her enigmatic world. Swinging like a child and balancing like a circus performer, this London native jolts her body with a Tasmanian force. Romo squirms through partnering duets and trios, pops her torso like an Olympic athlete, jiggles with a smile, and exuberates a sense of aliveness unseen in a dance company in years.

Lighting designer, Vincent Vigilante, creates a tense and foggy atmosphere, illustrating a stage of dim anticipation. An eclectic array of musical genres, including M.I.A.’s “Hussel” (Featuring Afrikan Boy), Wolf Parade’s “I’ll Believe In Anything”, and Radiohead remixes, are nothing short of genius. Miller’s unexpected decisions leave mouths agape, taking on the element of surprise and successfully transitioning her sectionized choreography. Though these songs (compositionally) have very little in common, Miller’s vision enables the music to adapt to contorted backs and outstanding explosive movement- fashioning a delicious bag of goodies. Observing the shifting attitudes with each musical choice, one witness’s pure enjoyment embodied by the performers, no matter how difficult, fast, or random the choreography may appear.

Gallim Dance is performing Blush and I Can See Myself In Your Pupil at the Joyce SoHo until January 18th. Please visit joyce.org for ticket prices or gallimdance.com for more information about the company. We promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

Above is excerpts from I Can See Myself In Your Pupil and not the reviewed, Blush.