South Chicago Dance Theatre (SCDT) is in season 9 and continues to dance close to the edge. Founder Kia S. Smith choreographed Lamentations of Peace with a narrative of the emotions that arise during the Christmas season in a world premiere at the Columbia College Dance Center. In Lamentations for Peace, we are introduced to a typical American family: Mom (Mya Bryant), Dad (Jack Halbert), Adult Son (Brodie Wolf), and Young Brodie (Peter Westergaard). The mother and father are going through a crisis in their marriage, but put on a happy front at a holiday party of friends and their children.
Like almost everyone I have ever known, I have found that holidays can be a goldmine or a landmine. Advertising and consumerism have made the Christmas holidays a matter of forced joy, and even worse, forced relationships, despite the state of the world.
Wolf as Adult Son is phenomenal. The character is damaged from childhood events and may have a substance abuse problem. Smith's choreography suggests that Adult Son is mired in the past and left bare and shivering in the face of his life's issues. It contrasts with Young Brodie being lovingly covered with a blanket, only for Dad to leave. I could feel the pull and tension in my own body, watching Wolf move as though literally stuck on a glue trap. I am always amazed at the skill and body control that dancers have. Lamentations for Peace showcases the discipline and talent evident in SCDT.
The choreography is cutting-edge, with very little traditional ballet influence. The movements flow but have a deliberate, abrupt quality that I interpreted as different emotional states. Halbert and Bryant are exquisite as a unit in sync and as a couple falling apart. Lamentations for Peace feels like an expressionist sculpture being built rather than a flowing watercolor. Trey Alexander's costumes are in shades of black, brown, and beige with pops of primary color, which I think emphasizes the conformity expected in American society.
Westergaard is a future dance professional. He is fantastic in the role of Young Brodie, with stage presence and real talent. Smith incorporates an a capella group singing Christmas carols on stage during the dance. The Bourné Family consists of a mother and eight children, all exceptional singers. Their voices and harmony heighten the emotional fragility that can be felt at Christmas.
The cast for Lamentations for Peace includes a young cast of seven, including Westergaard in the central role. The surreal vibe I felt at a previous SCDT performance returned whenever the ensemble was on stage en masse—everyone in beige with dance moves that are anything but neutral. There is electricity and passion in the choreography, and I felt them deeply. The Bourné Family, the children, and a gorgeous Christmas tree gave me flashbacks to holidays past. I would bet it was the same for many in the audience.
Four dancers are cast as angels in Lamentations for Peace, but it wasn't easy to figure out precisely who they were. That is my one quibble with this work. In fact, I thought that the Bourné Family came through as angels, individually and as a group, at various times in the performance. I was reminded of the Wim Wenders film, Wings of Desire (1987). The film was in black and white, with the angels dressed in black against gorgeous gray-scale cinematography. Like the angels in the movie, the Bourné Family stood behind Adult Son and the SCDT ensemble, holding them in prayer through song.
I think the venue and spare-stage design are essential to performing with emotional gravitas. It's also vital to the expressionist vibe, with the dancers' movements juxtaposed with the colors and lights of Christmas. I highly recommend that you attend a performance of South Chicago Dance Theatre whenever you get the chance. The original choreography and edgy narrative are entertaining and pack an emotional punch. It is provocative and challenging, which I believe is the point of any art form. I covered their innovative and sharp performance Surreal Journey, in May. It was a stunning performance featuring choreography by founder Kia S. Smith, Frank Chaves, and Tsai Hsi.
Lamentations for Peace was performed on December 6 and 7 at the Columbia College Dance Center, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. For more information about South Chicago Dance Theatre, please visit www.southchicagodancetheatre.com. For more information about the Bournés and their music, please visit www.bournecrown.com.
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