Cassie Wang’s ‘The Head is Not the Star of the Physique’

Motion did in flip, extending each tight precision and straightforward indulgence. Relationships between ensemble members continued to construct by means of that motion. Tenderness, tenacity, relationship, musicality: all these components have been clear proper from this opening to Cassie Wang’s The Head Is Not The Star of the Physique, and poignant all through your entire work. 

Wang and collaborators created and introduced the work by means of a Boston Dancemakers Residency, through the Boston Heart for the Arts. This system is an “incubator”, as Director of Dance and Interdisciplinary Arts Andrea Blesso described it: for recent, modern work from sturdy native dancemakers. Ilya Vidrin served as Dramaturg, and Dara Nicole Capley as Rehearsal Director. 

The Head Is Not the Star of the Physique held a mirror to large concepts comparable to nostalgia and interpersonal turbulence. Lovely motion, abstraction leaving room for private which means, and a typically calming environment made the view from that mirror each accessible and satisfying. 

Nostalgia got here by means of interweaving motion reflecting “air guitar”, playground enjoyable (from line video games comparable to “Crimson Rover” to clapping sequences a la “Miss Mary Mack” to parachute play from bodily training class), and residential video from Wang’s childhood (video modifying by Wang and Kiki Temple). 

A way of delicate care translated by means of acts of witnessing, ensemble members watching two others dance a duet. Actions such again scratching, hair braiding, and tender hugs spoke to care. At occasions, some dancers even actually carried others: taking all of their weight in order that, for a time, they didn’t have to carry all of it themselves. 

But, duets additionally mirrored rigidity and battle between two personas, angles and accent sharp. I contemplated how the nostalgia and interpersonal rigidity on the stage’s shifting canvas could be related; reminiscence may be sweetest when shared, however those that lived it don’t all the time see it the identical. 

Staging and motion vocabulary did a lot of the heavy lifting for conveying these concepts: calling upon each the extremely pedestrian and notably virtuosic. Easy touches and weight sharing got here together with advanced floor-based vocabulary and precisely-timed acrobatics (comparable to handstands). 

Physicality of motion and of presence tangoed, giving and taking. At factors, waltz, groove, and jazzy articulations expanded stylistic vary – in addition to introduced extra ease and lightness to the ether. All of that successfully contributed to the image on that shifting canvas, nothing prevailing over the rest. 

The Large Thief tracks additionally set an apt aural environment for these themes and qualities. The ensemble exhibited stellar musicality – attunement to one another’s timing and the rating exacting, but tender. It didn’t grasp, solely landed in that snug “pocket” of timing. 

Wang structured all of this into little dance vignettes, conveying various relationships and energies. A part of me craved extra ensemble sections within the first half of the work – which was largely centered on duets between two central personas danced by Wang and Hannah Franz. The 2 introduced affecting theatricality, extremely eager kinetic attunement, and plain technical command: all fascinating to observe.

But, I discovered myself craving a bit extra structural steadiness in favor of extra ensemble power, their filling the stage with widespread motion made extremely private and sincere – all of them attractive movers and theatrically entrancing. I felt extra known as to, extra emotionally invested in, their story of group versus simply two in relation. 

Blesso had talked about that that is “just the start” for the work. For additional iterations, such structural evening-out of ensemble and duet sections is the principle factor I might like to see re-molded, re-shaped. 

I do perceive an intention of eager to middle a sure relationship, with folks coming out and in of our interactions – as they do in our lives. A framing of their story could be very a lot authentic, solely much less interesting to my coronary heart and soul than the ensemble’s story. 

I additionally level to potential modifying down; I would problem Wang, in a spirit of artistic exploration and curiosity, to think about what sections won’t be contributing extra to the marvel and poignancy that she’s already established. Much less may be extra. That stated, commendably, all sections and selections – in and of themselves – felt ingenious reasonably than repetitive. 

The pensive environment, rising from all of that, softened a bit in direction of the tip. An brisk crescendo had the ensemble clapping and singing whereas additionally dancing, dealing with the viewers in vivacious, expansive ensemble motion. 

Lights within the area turning off one after the other, dancers sung collectively below a personal fort created from a sheet (repurposed from serving for video projection) – recreating childhood sleepovers. The threads of nostalgia and interpersonal connection continued by means of to this tender, heartwarming finish. 

I hope it’s certainly not the final finish for this work; I might like to see Wang refine and construct upon it. Motion enthralling, rating an ideal accompaniment, and themes deeply resonant, there may be a lot right here that I hope extra folks can encounter. 

The Head is Not The Star of The Physique stands as a reminder of what artists can accomplish by means of helps just like the Boston Dancemakers Residency, introduced along with their uncooked grit and expertise. Simply because the title presents a timeless fact (granted, if one many in our tradition aren’t conditioned to grasp), it may actually be solely the start. I joyfully anticipate extra of the story advised. 

By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.