Similarities

George Jackson

16 May 2022 — 1 min read

ICONS Choreographic Institute Thesis Dance Concert 2022
Dance Loft on 14
Washington DC
May 15, 2022 (matinee)

It is not surprising that there were resemblances among the dance works shown on this program. Vladimir Angelov was, after all, the teacher of all the choreographers and performers who were being presented. Angelov's pupils seem to think that dance is an unfolding of the human body - as if were a piece of clothing that had been wrapped up and needed to be unrolled before being worn. Some of the unfoldings on this bill were emotional, others were mechanical.

The most fascinating unfolding was a solo - Mimi Hoorami's "Richard" as danced by former child prodigy and later teen terror Rasta Thomas. "Richard" is this dance soliloquy's title and it is based on Shakespeare's drama of King Richard. Thomas shows the king as royal, refined, thoughtful, capable of being evil and of noble actions. What a great performance!

Other choreographers iwere Elizabeth Watson, Millicent Parker and William L. Miller Jr. but it was easy to confuse the dances, especially those in which the unravelling motions tended to become routine. One fine new dance per program, though, is a true gift! Thank you, Mr. Thomas and Ms. Noorami!

copyright 2022 by George Jackson

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