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| Artemis Gordon & Lynn Sheppard |
Having the
exclusive privilege of being allowed to watch (and photograph!) the rehearsals
for the Arts Umbrella Dance Company’s Season Finale May 26 to May 28 at the
Vancouver Playhouse brings some extraordinary perks. Paradoxically they involve
watching dancers not yet at their usual level of perfection. That perfection
is, now, an accepted token at any opening performance of this dance company.
The paradox has all to do with watching dance with the concommitant sound of two women, Arty
(Artemis Gordon) and her associate Lynn Sheppard, advising, correcting,
coaching all with a high level of
philosophic content. Where else would you hear something like this, “All
art has to start from the body. It is physical. If it is really physical it
will become emotional." Such is how serious the dancers take this instruction
that I watched one in tears as she navigated temporary failure. She was coaxed
by the duo that seems like a married couple of many years. One begins. The other
ends. Or if Arty says, “There are three pauses we must discuss,” and she brings
up two, Sheppard will then go to the third without a cue.
Such is
this level of cerebral thought that one marvels when watching five or six young
men stomp their feet in obvious incoordination with the shifting of their heads
two-and-fro, when Arty points out, “Start with your feet not with your head.
Then once you have that, the head will come along.” And so it was as I watched.
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| The wig-wise ghost that haunts Granville Island |