Next Reflex Dance Collective at the Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage presented Next Reflex Dance Collective in an evening of modern dance on Thursday, February 12th at 6pm. NRDC premiered two works by Artistic Director’s Roxann Morgan Rowley and Erika Surma, as well as two works from the company repertory.

Conversations (premiered in 2008), choreographed by Roxann Morgan Rowley and Erika Surma is a collaboration representing the varying, spontaneous human interactions which can occur at a specific place and time. The first section is an improvised solo which is accompanied by a projection of the improvising soloist in the fall leaves of Burke Lake Park in Virginia. Her lone experience with her present and past self serves as a memory and reaction of what once took place. The second section is a series of duets constantly entering and exiting on a path while in improvised conversation. The duets are representative of the random couples which passed by during the choreographers’ study of human activity in the park. Each pair converses with their own distinguishing traits, separating them from the other pairs. In the third section, the dancers are moving snapshots. Random family photos which were taken that day in the park became the impetus for the choreography of this final section.

Eventide, choreographed by Erika Surma represents the waves of the ocean as they move in and out quietly on a gulf shore. The waves become more rigorous as a storm moves in, and as it eventually moves on, the waves settle to begin another day. Eventide incorporates a large, flowing piece of fabric which the dancers twist and turn within, creating a more literal sense of ocean waves.

Frayed, choreographed by Roxann Morgan Rowley moves through five womens struggle for peace in a chaotic world. Loosely taken from the true story of Dorothy Hale, a socialite that committed suicide in the 30s, the women throw themselves into their agitated environment and then support each other walking to an absent eternity.

Idee-Fixe (premiered in 2006), choreographed by Erika Surma is an intricate and quirky solo which exemplifies the small obsessions that surface through certain aspects of one's life, and how those obsessions are dealt with. Idee-Fixe is being performed by Guest Artist Kate Jordan.

If you missed it check out the performance here. www.kennedy-center.org