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Ascendance at CityDance
by Rick Westerkamp on January 11, 2015

This weekend in the CityDance Studio Theatre at Strathmore, CityDance Onstage Ignite presents
Robert J. PrioresAscendance. CityDance Onstage Ignite is a program geared toward
showcasing the work of rising choreographic stars. On top of presenting an evening of the
choreographers work, CityDance takes care of the marketing, public relations, administrative
tasks, and rehearsal space for the performance. This fabulous initiative allows the artist to
concentrate his/her energies toward the art of it all, which is so often not the case for rising
stars in this business. While there were technical hiccups here and there, such as lights up
before a piece was set to begin and sound levels that were jarring for anyone seated near a
speaker, the strength of Priores choreography and the technical prowess possessed by every
dancer in his works rose above it all.

Top Left to Right.Dana Pajarillaga, CityDance Conservatory, Class of 2013 and The
Juilliard School Candidate, Class of 2017;Diana Amalfitano, CityDance Conservatory, Class
of 2013 and Purchase College, SUNY, Class of 2017;Bottom Left to Right: Robert J.
Priore, CityDance OnStage Ignite Artist; and Matthew McLaughlin, CityDance
Conservatory, Class of 2013 and Purchase College, SUNY, Class of 2017. Photo courtesy
of CityDance.

Divided We Stand opened the program, with nine dancers, both men and women. The men were
in grey tank top/shorts ensembles and the women were in grey shorts and crop tops. The sound
score of the piece mixed the human voice with pulsating electronic rhythms and industrial
sounds. Priore used the space beautifully, often having full-bodied phrase work in one area of the
stage, and a growing clump of dancers performing repetitive, pulsating gestural work in another
area of the space. The pairings of dancers, both in the full-bodied movement and in the gestural
movement was always visually striking and unexpected. It is rather fitting that the work, titled
Divided
We
Stand, fully embraced the unique physical gifts of each dancer, as if to make a
statement that by embracing individuality we create a stronger unit when we come together. In
the sociopolitical landscape of 2015, we could all use to fervently heed this message so
eloquently expressed in movement. (Divided
We
Stand was performed by Diana Amalfitano,
Diana Bended-Bier, Ryan Carlough, Tyler Curry, Alexandra Grayson, Colleen Hoerle, Katie
Koegel, Dana Pajarillaga, and Kevin Pajarillaga).
Forgetting the One that Didnt, an intimate duet performed by Priore and Kyoko Ruch, followed
in the program. Priore, in an all back ensemble, and Ruch, in an unassuming flesh toned dress,
address the effort it takes to forget someone, be it a lover, friend, family member, etc. once
youve moved on from a particular place and time. From lifelessly clinging to someone as they
attempt to move on, to carrying the weight of another person as you attempt to further yourself,

Priore and Ruch experience each of these scenarios, and more, in the duration of the duet. From
luxuriating in the seemingly perfect past, thanks to hindsight, in the first movement, to snapping
back into the reality of it all and the high highs and low lows of the relationship in the second
movement, both dancers embody abandon and rock solid stability simultaneously with aplomb. In
the third and final section, Ruch dances a lovely solo in which she is able to rid herself of the
other dancers specter which has been haunting her, and move on so she may find the one that
will, and hopefully for the long haul.
Unseen Boundaries, performed by a wonderfully expressive and alive cast of dancers in black
and navy to Max Richters haunting interpretation of The Four Seasons, Spring is a perfect
example of Priores expert hand at working with large casts of dancers. His eye for space, both in
entrances and exits, and in breaking up unison moments with featured pairs, trios, etc. is uncanny
and wildly entertaining for an audience. A particularly rapturous moment for me was an intricate
trio on two ladies and one gentleman toward the beginning of the work, in which the dancers
move in and out of cannon and unison movement without skipping a beat. As the piece ends, a
rather present dancer with an exacting use of focus performs a detailed, nuanced solo, as the line
of dancers facing upstage from the beginning of the piece perform behind her. (Unseen
Boundaries was performed by Courtney Anderson, Sofia Bisogno, Grace Cho, Sabrina Clarke,
Brian Galvez, Saffron Gelbart, Gabrielle Henoch, Allegra Kirksey, Athena Lewis, Natalie
Pagenstecher, Robby Pine, Caroline Shriver, Jayme Slotkin, Bintu Traore, Julianne Trostinetzky,
Stephanie Vargas, Kaylee Wong, Daisy Xu, Mariano Zamora and Lucia Zelaya)
Her, danced by Megan Ardito Caputo, Katherine Horrigan, Rachael Mauney and Kyoko Ruch in
neutral dresses and socks, followed in the program. A series of duets, with trio and quartet
moments here and there, set to iconic songs sung by the likes of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald,
and Nina Simone, is a mood shift to yesteryear with a modern sensibility that is intoxicating.
These are women of the present day grappling with timeless, human issues such as finding a
mate, exploring another persons body, fitting in, etc. With the nuanced choreographic vocabulary
of Priore, the dancers are able to explore these ideas, and more, and allow the audience to find
beauty in the awkward moments of human interaction, and embrace sudden shifts of weight,
placement of limbs, and changing of ones mind, affections, etc.
Closing out the first act is the deeply engaging, wholeheartedly ecstatic work Baiana, with a
similar cast as Unseen Boundaries, this time clad in eye-catching hues of purple, bright green,
teal, and sleek blue. Priores cast brings with them a boundless energy to the stage, and dancers
file in exponentially as the piece progresses. The piece requires a readily available athleticism,
soaring leaps and jumps, and a supple unfolding of the limbs that every dancer on the stage is
able to deliver, with smiles on their faces to boot! This work is an excellent example of dance for
dances sake, and what better way to celebrate than with the various ages, races, genders,
shapes and sizes of this cast exuding a love of dance that cannot be taught? Their impeccable
technique shines, that is not to be forgotten, but it is this love of dance pouring out of them that
allowed every audience member to transition into intermission with a new pep in his/her step.

(Baiana was performed by Courtney Anderson, Sofia Bisogno, Grace Cho, Sabrina Clarke, Jade
Diouf, Gabrielle Henoch, Camille Jones, Allegra Kirksey, Athena Lewis, Natalie Pagenstecher,
Robby Pine, Caroline Shriver, Laura Segrillo, Makani Yerg, Mariano Zamora, and Lucia Zelaya
with Alexandra Grayson, Colleen Hoerle, Katie Koegel, Dana Pajarillaga, and Kevin Pajarillaga)
La Fte des Chats opened the second act, with the women in a range of printed dresses and the
men in printed tops and solid bottoms. The dancers performances in this work displayed a
stunning bravura, whether they were dancing in the fanciful ladies section at the top of the piece,
the whimsical and technically stellar male and female duet, the duet of women, or the mixed
gender group section at the end of the piece. The musical accompaniment for this work was
varied, but there was delicious layering in each and every piece of music that was resonant in the
movement of the work. This piece snapped each and every audience member back into the
dynamics of the program with wonderful energy. (La Fte des Chats was performed by Miriah
Auth, Grace Cho, Sabrina Clarke, Jade Diouf, Kaitlyn Foreman, Brian Galvez, Gabrielle Henoch,
Camille Jones, Athena Lewis, Natalie Pagenstecher, Robby Pine, Makani Young, Mariano Zamora
and Lucia Zelaya)
Counterpoints followed in the program, danced by Alexandra Grayson, Colleen Hoerle, Dana
Pajarillaga, Kevin Pajarillaga, and Robert J. Priore, with the women in khaki long-sleeve crop tops,
black leggings, and black socks, and the men in khaki shorts, black tank tops, and black socks.
The sound score for this work was pulsating and percussive, and the dancers echo both
sentiments in their every movement. Priores choreography sequences into and out of group
choreography both effectively and efficiently. The choreography demands a laser focus and
uncanny control, which the dancers attack fervently.
Wander, danced solo by the supremely expressive Kimberly Anderson, is set to the iconic Claire
de Lune. Anderson brings an adept technique and extremely focused performance quality that
sparkle and shine brightly with Priores smart composition and nuanced sequencing of
movement. Priore has choreographed this work in such a way that if feels as if the music is
pouring out of the dancers soul as she penetrates the space with contrastingly sharp and smooth
qualities. The tone, pitch, and dynamic of each note in the piece informs Priores composition,
and through Andersons exquisite performance, it is as if both she and Priore are making sense of
the music as the piece unfolds.
Last in the program, Abandon is danced by Vanessa Owen, Dana Pajarillaga, and Gavin Stewart,
in long black tunics, black socks, and black kneepads. This pulsating sound score elevates the
dancers performances, as they coax each other with every physical feat and statement of daring,
as if to coax each other to jump higher, hold an extended leg a second longer, etc. With the
establishment of a small pool of light for the quartet of dancers at the top and bottom of the
piece, and an exploration of larger space in the middle of the work, it is as if the dancers come to
an understanding in smaller sub-sects of their community, take these ideas out into the
community-at-large, and then bring what theyve each experienced as individuals back to that

same small sub-sect and see what has changed, if

anything, from where they began.
With Ascendance, Robert J. Priore displays his skill with
harnessing the power of large groups of dancers, as well
as his nuanced work with quartets, duets, and solos. His
fondness for pulsating, electronic sound scores
compliments his works, but I believe he shines with
pieces of music that juxtapose the intrinsic pulsating of
his choreography. I look forward to experiencing another
evening of his work, and you should check out
Ascendanceplays at CityDance Studio Theatre
performing at The Music Center at Strathmore 5301
Tuckerman Lane, in North Bethesda, MD. There are a
few remaining tickets for todays 6 PM performance and

Robert J. Priore. Photo by Jason Garcia Ignacio.

they can be purchased online.

Running Time: One hour and forty minutes, with a 15-minute intermission.
LINK:
Robert J. Priores website.
Rating:

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