Sensational, physical explosion and the girls did it - Jazzamatazz - II

Reviewed by Gwen Herat

With a heady and tongue-twisting title for her jazz ballet, dancer, teacher, choreographer, Sureka Buell of The Danceworld - School of Modern and Jazz Ballet, presented Jazzamatazz II at the Lionel Wendt Theatre over the weekend.

As the curtain rose, screaming, noisy appreciation of teenagers added more zest and vigour to the show that was to follow. The hungry youth for this type of entertainment in Sri Lanka was obvious. They were impatient as the minutes ticked away and drowned the equally vibrant music that Sureka very appropriately had picked for the evening. There was lot of expectation in the air which exploded on the onset and ended with a bang.

The dancers were brimming with confidence and as I watched each and every one, they were full of smiles and completely relaxed. There would have been a closer-to-hundred ensemble and all danced their bit to perfection and thoroughly enjoyed what they performed. Brilliant equation, and co-ordination that Sureka had put into them surfaced, complimenting their teacher.

A mixture of colour, rhythm and youth in perfect athletic state, oozing out in talent, were their forte. No wonder the audience became a part of what was going on stage as the young cast literally invited the star-struck teenagers to dance with them and they did respond from their seats. It revealed a clear vision of rapport between the dancers and the audience which should be really in this type of dance.

Then, lo and behold, came the princess of modern rhythm in Sri Lanka. As Sureka appeared on stage for her solo number, there was pin-drop silence and awed by her artistry, technique, they revered their teacher in homage.

And when she finished, the screaming youngster brought the roof down. In her dancing, Sureka revealed what she had embodied in her young stars, dainty physical control of movements, zest at its peak and the joy of doing it the Sureka way, she almost became a rubber-doll, gyrating, twisting, zooming her lithe limbs.

But Sureka’s dress restrained her skill and movement which otherwise was perfect. Sureka reminded me one of the dancers I saw at the New York City Ballet when I was a guest of Martha Graham when she choreographed Maple Leaf Rag. Graham was in her late nineties and this was her last ballet for she died even before I returned to Sri Lanka.

Jazz as it was

The American negroes developed jazz dance they did for jazz music. It was based on African dance technique such as on polycentrism and the isolation of individual moving parts of the human body. Later it was adapted to the need of their environment. Around 1917 the name first appeared and during the 1920s, it was eagerly taken up by the whites and introduced it to their various forms of dance in show business and so it nurtured on.

The so-called jazz ballets began with New York Expert mounted by Robbins in 1956 and Revelations produced by Ailey in 1960. They were synchronised with Afro-American, academic and modern dance techniques. There was also a ballet called Jazz Calendar in seven parts choreographed by Ashton to the music of Richard Rodney in 1968 at the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, London.

More and more people enjoy dance today than ever before and we are living amidst its explosion. The extraordinary diversity of jazz extends from classical ballet and avant-garde modern dance and more and more choreographers are looking at its potential sometimes overstepping classical ballet that needs expertise to the point.

Ballet needs great and technically perfect dancers while jazz and modern movements can afford to relax. Sri Lanka is no exception for her thirst for modern and jazz dance and dancers like Sureka Buell sustains their need. And its dream came in the form of Jazzamatazz. Among the many presented tonight, I was overwhelmed by the Jitterbug and Jive performed lively by:

Deshara de Alwis - Nataliya Elapatha Gunaratne,
Kimaya de Silva - Aitara Elapatha Gunaratne
Tehani Pendigrast - Anisha Gunaratne
Theruni Pethiyagoda - Tenisha Buell
Manisha Wijegunawardena - Shala Amarasuriya and
Shenali Perera.

Easily the best number executed to steal every heart, it took us back to the early 50s when jiving was the most popular act on any floor. The flaming orange attire, tasselled to grade down the bodies, swayed to the hot music. The girls rippled in movements never missing a step to the glorious score elected by Sureka.

Spirit - Highly imaginative, somewhat poetic and more like high-priestesses, Spirit was wonderfully elegant in sense. Lyrical mixture of ballet, modern and contemporary movements, the five dancers were emotionally equipped to do what they did. The dancers were Deshana de Alwis, Kimaya de Silva, Mariah Manuel, Tehani Pendigrast and Nataliya Elapatha Gunaratne.

Urban Fusion - Once again the African influence in movement was apparent and Sureka had cleverly selected a score that blended well with these movements as well as with the traditional Kandyan/low country styles that were included to make up this number. Clever drum beats that were mellow blended to facilitate both group-dancers to separate themselves but not over-step nor create a confusion. The girls in second part outdid the former and they looked sculptured frescoes as they paused beat the notes.

The modern division was danced by Nataliya Elapatha Gunaratne, Nihara Perera, Theruni Pethiyagoda, Kimaya de Silva, Tehani Pendigrast and Akana Jayawardena. The Kandyan division had Deshana de Alwis, Shemani Ratwatte, Savani Mendis, Daniella Joshua and Anisha Gunaratne.

Apart from good choreography, I was not impressed by the lighting effects. Sound was impressive. Well prepared and executed costumes that enhanced the dancers and the dances by Mitabi Gunawardena deserves a bouquet. So was the make-up by Annette Ferdinands. She managed to retain the youthful looks of the girls, never over-doing though for stage. It was very professional.

All in all, Jazzamatazz II was a spectacular event and most of it must be credited to one of Sri Lanka’s best and much loved impressarios, Jith Pieris who was its co-producer and who inspired, guided and helped Sureka as well as the cast.

..................................

<< Artscope Main Page