Friday, August 21, 2015

'Pillow talk' in the Berkshires

I didn't do anything crazy yesterday – just took a little walk – but I jumped at the chance when my friend Ken Ross texted and said he had an extra ticket to that night's L.A. Dance Project's performance at Jacob's Pillow.

Almost show time
Ken, who was reviewing the show, gave me door-to-door service. I enjoyed everything, from the chance to catch up while driving, to the magical setting in Beckett, to the ballet set in modernistic scenes in three acts, each different, with a touch of narrative and humor included.

Ken pointed out in his excellent review that the moment the dancers donned sneakers at the beginning of the first act, you knew that you were in for something special. It is interesting to see dancers looking like everyday people in street clothes performing extraordinary steps that ordinary people couldn't ever do! And as someone who can barely balance on one foot, I am doubly and triply impressed.

Adding to the magic, at the end of the show, the back of the stage gradually opened to reveal the woods outside (just, it seemed to me, as the dance became more naturalistic and free-flowing).

Also, I got to add another ticket to my ticket bottle. (I noticed when taking a close look that I had an $8 ticket from the Mount Holyoke Summer Theater alongside the slightly more expensive Broadway shows and the less expensive (free) tickets to Shakespeare in the Park.)

I had had a cup of coffee before I left home, so it was a little hard to get sleepy, especially with visions of dancers in my head, but it was worth it.

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