Pittsburgh Fringe 2024
Crossing Paths Movement Collective
The Dana Collective
Genre: Cabaret, Dance, Dance and Movement Theatre
Venue: Fringe Central
Festival: Pittsburgh Fringe
Low Down
“Crossing Paths Movement Collective features contemporary dance by Sarah Carlson, Nick M. Daniels, Malcolm Shute, and Evalina “Wally” Carbonell. These artists have been curating showcases since the COVID recovery, highlighting varied styles and backgrounds, including release technique, butoh, and contact improvisation. The group seeks to rekindle enthusiasm for live dance by offering a diverse experience. Each artist’s work is different, but all share a vision of excellence and collaboration.”
Review
When you enter the space for Crossing Paths, long before the official show time, the show has begun. You are greeted with a film of a choreographer’s work, EMBRACE choreographed by Sarah Carlson, which is electric and thought provoking. I entered the space ten minutes before the show time, and what I was greeted with were dancers moving throughout the stage space. This could have been seen as a warm up for the dancers, who, over the next hour, would be exerting effort across the stage in multiple formats, but as an audience member it felt like we were being invited in. That we, as an audience, were welcomed into the Dana Collective.
The show consisted of four works with the artists speaking in between, either about their piece, the next piece, or about their relationship with the other artists. This continued the feeling that we, the audience, were a part of the Dana Cellective.
The first piece Crosshatches of Light, choreographed and performed by Maclom Shute in collaboration with Grace Stern. A light was projected from the downstage corner of the room, illuminating their silhouettes onto the back of the stage. Set to a grand hymn, the two dancers weaved and connected through each other. Throughout the piece they began to get closer and closer, while moving upstage. Their blurry shadows at the beginning of the piece, when they were downstage and further apart, slowly transitioned to crisp shadow light or shadow shelves as the work closer together. The piece was moving, powerful and thought provoking
The Second Piece was Fruit of Her Lips, Choreography and Poetry by Evalina “Wally” Carbonell, performed by Wally Carbonell, Lina Carbonell, and Grace Stern, with special appearance by a small sweeper, Cain Carbonell. What we saw as an audience was a curated collection of a larger production set to go to Edinburgh. This piece left me in tears. It was moving, dynamic, constrained and wild all rolled into one.
The third piece, You Seen Rico?, choreographed and performed by Pittsburgh Native Nick M. Daniels contained a visually stunning light display, also created by Nick M. Daniels, that entwined with the movement perfectly, as if Nick was being absorbed into the light, drawing the power from it and then being consumed by it.
The final piece, Emerging, choreographed by Malcolm Shute and danced by Stacey Yvonne Clayton, Carrie Monger,Alexander Short, and Malcom Shute, felt like a celebration of humanity. The dancers work together and intertwine for the common good of helping each other find their true selves.
I really enjoyed this performance. It allowed the audience to take away from the pieces what they were meant to. It was everything you wanted at the theater, you felt welcomed, you learned about the performers, and yourself.
