New York, USA
- The arresting
presentation
of Geoffrey
Holder’s
The Prodigal
Prince
unfolds in full
flight during
the 2010 New
York Alvin Ailey
American Dance
Theater (AAADT)
season at New
York’s City
Center.
Created as a
tribute to Haitian
artistry, the
production celebrates
Haitian painter
and Vodou priest
Hector Hyppolite
whose genius
Geoffrey Holder
holds in high
esteem. “He
[Hyppolite]
is the Picasso
of Haitian Art,”
says Holder.
The hauntingly
resonant voices
that chant soul-stirring
calls to which
drums rumble
a slow, deep
response herald
the regal entrance
of the goddess
Erzulie (AAADT’s
Briana Reed)
hand in hand
with St. John
the Baptist
(AAADT’s Clifton
Brown).
Together they
would “conduct”
rituals symbolized
in rhythmic
dance rooted
in Haitian lore,
tradition and
mysticism, as
their spiritual
energies converge
on their focus
- Haitian Hector
Hyppolite -
danced on the
Prodigal Prince’s
inaugural evening
by AAADT’s Kirven
James Boyd.
Boyd compellingly
dramatizes the
imbuing of the
genius ‘spirit’
in Hyppolite
under the spiritual
development
of Erzulie and
St. John the
Baptist.
The ballet’s
premise is based
on the transition
to and beginning
of Hyppolite’s
enlightened
journey as an
artist, with
images to be
brought to life
wrought with
the feather
given to him
by Erzulie and
John.
Dancer Briana
Reed herself
conveys the
sensuality she
needs to evoke
within Hyppolite
and awaken his
artistic traits,
while retaining
her partial
“untouchability”
as Erzulie,
Vodoun priestess/Black
Madonna.
Brown as St.
John the Baptist
portrays well
with his body
language, the
role of protector,
and wise and
spiritual elder
who both gifts
and guides Hyppolite
to the next
phase in his
life.
The supporting
cast of dancers
fill their required
molds with dexterity.
Whether called
upon to ornately
prepare and
complete the
scenes for the
beginning of
Hyppolite’s
metamorphosis,
whirling with
driven and hypnotic
abandon, or
forming a brilliantly-colored
spiritual “shield”
about either
of the three
principals in
the ballet,
the AAADT company
embodies the
spirit of the
piece.
The stage is
the canvas on
which choreographer
Geoffrey Holder
unleashes in
color and movement,
chants and drums
- the Prodigal
Prince ballet
on the audience.
Holder’s daring
eye as an artist
himself gives
rise to the
bold and dramatic
black, pure
whites, deep
reds, burnished
oranges, virginal
blue and other
brilliant colored
costuming that
complete the
multi-dimensional
fantasy journey
on which he
takes the audience
for just over
thirty minutes.
In the Prodigal
Prince Holder
is unabashed
in acknowledging
the sexuality
existing within
human nature,
the beauty of
the human form
and its expression
through dance
- and the connection
of both with
spirituality.
Recognizing
the vibrant
unapologetic
expression of
raw sensuality
that characterizes
and completes
the human soul
and its potential
for creativity,
Holder ensured
that this was
placed front
and center most
visually within
the “vessel”
that was Hyppolite,
by both Erzulie
and St. John
the Baptist.
Oh, did we mention
that Holder
leaves nothing
to chance, and
also composed
the music that
both provides
the track for
the ballet,
and simultaneously
commands and
propels the
aural sensibilities
of the audience?
The story of
the gifting
of a feather
to Hyppolite
in a dream where
he meets St.
John the Baptist
in a journey
to Africa (with
which Hyppolite
goes on to create
internationally
sought-after
paintings),
was an irresistible
one to bring
to the stage
in dance, and
one which the
internationally-renowned
Holder snapped
up. The
inclusion of
the Vodoun priestess
Erzulie was
a natural for
Holder, given
Hyppolite’s
own background
as a Vodoun
priest.
The artist first
brought his
visionary “Prodigal
Prince” to the
stage in 1968,
with the legendary
and incomparable
Judith Jamison
in the role
of Erzulie and
Miguel Godreau
dancing the
role of Hyppolite.
Geoffrey
Holder
The audience
rose to its
feet when two-time
Tony Award winner
Holder - now
walking with
the assistance
of a cane -
made his appearance
on stage after
the production.
When he twirled
said cane and
relinquished
it for a few
brief moments,
and himself
danced a few
unassisted steps,
the audience
simply went
wild with applause.
On its inaugural
evening, the
Prodigal Prince
was preceded
on stage by
Uptown, a dance
showcase based
on the Harlem
Renaissance
period and created
by Matthew Rushing.
With the choice
of some of the
icons highlighted
who personified
the face of
Harlem - Paul
Robeson, W.E.
Dubois, Josephine
Baker, Count
Basie et al
- the inherent
reminder (through
dance and well-placed
periodic narration),
is that amid
the genius artists
and infectious
gaiety that
were the Harlem
experience,
the struggle
is never far
below the surface.
The determination
to survive that
is culturally
intrinsic to
Harlem was splendidly
laid bare in
a blur of color
throughout,
for example,
during the “Rent
Party” segment
in Uptown.
The dancers
exuberantly
dare anyone
to defy the
joie de vivre
of Harlem, still
claimed even
as they dance
their way against
the odds to
muster enough
for yet another
tribulation
- making ‘the
rent.’
Revelations
rounded out
the evening’s
three productions.
Showcased on
six contents
and through
seventy-one
countries, the
production is
the hallmark
Alvin Ailey
American Dance
Theater experience,
and this night
was no different.
The company
of dancers symbolically
shoulders concerns
and burdens,
and expresses
times of joy
and exhilaration,
to all of which
the audience
can relate.
They communicate
that their experience
is not only
a “Black” one,
but moreover
the story of
life, and as
such they empathize
with one’s emotions
and trials as
fellow human
beings.
In dance sequences
complemented
by a soundtrack
of negro spirituals
the audience
is connected
through vicarious
visuals, with
the gamut of
experiences
that is human
existence.
The Alvin Ailey
American Dance
Theater 2010
New York season
is ongoing at
the New York
City Center
on West 55th
Street and runs
through January
2, 2011.
Geoffrey Holder’s
production of
the Prodigal
Prince is slated
to take the
stage four more
times on December
21, 23, 26 and
January 2.
The opportunity
to experience
this excellent
artistic celebration
based on Haitian
legacy is one
not to be missed.
When Steel Talks
is pleased to
have been invited
to review the
Prodigal Prince
at the invitation
of Geoffrey
Holder,
recently interviewed
for bringing
the first steelband
to the Broadway
stage.
Related article:
The Greatness
that greatness
demands - The
Prodigal Prince
Returns with
the Alvin Ailey
American Dance
Theater - Geoffrey
Holder and Judith
Jamison
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