North Coast Weekend

What's wrong with this picture? I have no idea. But something is wrong about the dancers form, so I couldn't use this photo for the blog I put together on behalf of SUFFUSIONS, the HSU spring dance show. Doesn't matter, I guess, since nothing like this is in the show anyway.

You've now figured out that I don't know a lot about dance. But having seen opening night, I can tell you that this show is very theatrical. Most of the 12 dances are large ensemble pieces, and there's a lot to watch all over the stage. I was also very impressed by the imaginative sets and settings--there were a couple of set designs that are among the best I've seen this year. And despite my ignorance of dance vocabulary, I was moved by several pieces. It doesn't take an expert either to see the skill of somebody like Kevin Lynn Dockery. Some very fine music, too, and variety of styles on display. A fun evening.

If you saw last year's show, by the way, you may recall Sarah Jane Carlton's "Walkabout," which she danced solo (or very close to it.) Well, it's a solo no more. It's a very colorful, large ensemble piece now, about an Australian aboriginal rite of passage involving a hunt. Great music, and one of several dances that mix western dance vocabulary with non-western, indigenous dance. It's the first dance of the program and gets the evening off to a rousing start.

SUFFUSIONS plays in the Van Duzer Theatre Friday through Saturday, and again next weekend, Thursday through Saturday (April 19-21), with the Silent Auction on Saturday the 21st. It starts at 7:30pm. Check the blog for details--and the approved photos.

Elsewhere this weekend, Ferndale Rep opens "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Barry Blake (I almost typed "Bake," a Freudian/Martha Stewart slip for the cookie king) has a preview of the show at the T-S. There's a cabaret with some 20 acts down at the Arcata Playhouse, one night only, tonight (April 13.)