Above: the one and only Zoey Anderson in David Parsons’ new solo, Her Gifts; photo by Steven Pisano
Sunday May 18th, 2025 matinee – Parsons Dance at The Joyce with a program of works by Rena Butler, Robert Battle, and the founding choreographer himself: David Parsons.
The program opened with Parsons’ 2005 work Wolfgang, to music of Mozart. Hints of Paul Taylor as well as nods to the classical ballet world are woven into the choreography. Howell Binkley’s emblematic lighting designs – both here and later, in Caught and In The End – are so atmospheric.
Wolfgang (photo above by Paula Lobo) has a beautiful, flowing feeling, with a series of duets giving the dancers ample opportunity to shine (the “either/or” listing of the dancers left me wondering who was who at times). For a while, the dancers lounge on the floor. The adagio brought finely-lit poses, laced with touches of humor. There were vanishing acts, where the dancers disappeared into the upstage darkness. In the light and bright finale, Parsons makes canny use of the music; a series of turns elicited a burst of applause.
A brand new – and stunning – solo, Her Gifts, choreographed by David Parsons to Roberta Flack’s immortal classic ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, was a gift from David to the radiant Zoey Anderson. In a striking Judy Wirkula gown, glowingly bathed in golden light, Zoey took complete command of the stage with her hypnotic way of moving: her every step and gesture held the audience under a spell.
The Hunt (2010), is choreographed by Robert Battle to a tumultuous score by the French percussion band Les Tambours du Bronx. I seem to recall being at the studio one afternoon early on in this work’s creative process. Of course, it was a whole different set of dancers in those days.
The Hunt can be danced by either men or women, and today it was a female quartet – Téa Pérez, Megan Garcia Ziminski, Justine Delius, and Joanne Hwang – who took us on this wild ride. Burke J. Wilmore’s lighting bathes the quartet in bloody light; later, saturated colors illuminate the back panel. The dancing is provocative, ritualistic, ecstatic. Pairing off, bodies are dragged about. The pace is relentless, the women so compelling in their moves. The crowd responded with unbridled enthusiasm.
Above: from Rena Butler’s Sheep’s Gothic; photo by Paula Lobo
Sheep’s Gothic, a 2025 creation by Rena Butler opened the evening’s second half. Moody lighting by Christopher Chambers showed us seven dancers costumed by Asha Ama in athletic gear, including knee pads. The “either/or” cast listing (and a prevailing darkness) again kept me from figuring out who was who, but the dancing was impressive throughout.
A cappella choral works by Felix Mendelssohn have an oddly nationalistic air. Offsetting these, music by Darryl J Hoffman creates a sonic tapestry; things speed up, echo effects entice, whimsical elements are introduced as this darkish dancework evolves. The chorale resumes, with some mechanical noises further deepening the nocturnal mood. Hymn-like music and spoken words sustain the atmosphere, but after a while, a feeling of longueurs creeps in. A relaxed beat underpins a spacious ensemble as this enigmatic dance moves to its end.
I cannot count the times I’ve seen David’s signature masterpiece Caught; I first saw this solo danced by the choreographer at Jacob’s Pillow many years ago. Since then, it’s been performed by both male and female dancers, and it never fails to elicit a delirious response from the audience. This afternoon, Joseph Cyranski wowed the crowd with his magnetic presence and dazzling dancing, perfectly timed to give Caught the visual magic this iconic dancework demands.
Above: Joseph Cyranski in In The End; photo by Steven Pisano
David Parsons created In The End – to the music of the Dave Matthews Band – in 2005. It makes a perfect closing number, as all ten of the Company’s dancers join in. Again, Howell Binkley’s lighting is a key element to the work’s appeal. The dancers move thru the Parsons choreography with a mix of lyricism and athletic poise, evoking a celebratory ovation at the end as each dancer rushes on for a solo bow.
~ Oberon
Oberon's Glade 
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