L’Embarquement pour Cythère: A Dance of Pastoral Charm and Modern Turmoil
Jean-Antoine Watteau’s 1717 painting, L’Embarquement pour Cythère, captures a serene and idyllic scene of lovers gathered on an island, their joy amplified by the presence of Venus and mischievous Cupids. Douglas Dunn’s new dance, sharing the same title, carries some of this pastoral charm, but it is deeply intertwined with a darker, contemporary edge. Dunn, a choreographer in his 80s and celebrated for his wit and whimsy, has crafted a piece that feels both timeless and urgently relevant. The dance, performed by Douglas Dunn + Dancers at Judson Memorial Church, is presented in the round, immersing the audience in a world that oscillates between antiquity and modernity.
The score, composed by Jerome Begin and performed live by the violin duo String Noise alongside Begin’s electronics, initially evokes an underwater realm, reminiscent of Neptune’s Garden. The dancers enter in same-gender trios, moving with courtly grace before shifting into more primal, almost bestial gestures. These transitions hint at the ancient and the grotesque, bridging the gap between the past and the present. Interspersed with the dancing are moments featuring poet Anne Waldman, who is wheeled around in a chariot by Dunn and his longtime partner, Grazia Della-Terza. Dressed in Renaissance-inspired costumes by Mimi Gross, they add a layer of theatricality to the piece. Waldman’s poetic recitations, though sometimes difficult to decipher due to the church’s acoustics, are rich with imagery and allusion, reflecting on beauty, art, and the threats they face in a troubled world.
A Renaissance Reverie with a Modern Twist
The second section of the dance shifts its focus, evoking the Renaissance through the lutelike pizzicato of the violins. The choreography becomes more circular, with dancers moving in intricate patterns that recall the compositional shapes of a canon or round. This idyllic tableau, however, is disrupted by the introduction of buzzing electronic bass notes, a sonic representation of danger lurking beneath the surface. Waldman’s words, even when fragmented, suggest a dark age or end time, where beauty is imperiled by tyrants and despots. Against this backdrop, Dunn offers his signature blend of intelligent form and whimsy, countering the darkness with the beauty of movement.
As the dance progresses, all 12 dancers come together, circling in unison and striking balanced poses that evoke the harmony of a fountain. Their movements overlap and intersect, creating a complex yet cohesive tableau. Despite the growing intensity of Begin’s score, the choreography remains stately and controlled, resisting the urge to surrender to chaos. This restraint speaks to Dunn’s mastery of form and his ability to find order in disorder.
Embracing Multiplicity and Entanglement
In the final moments of the dance, the tone shifts dramatically. Without warning, the piece erupts into a joyful multiplicity, with each dancer moving independently yet cohesively. Some hop, others balance slowly, while Waldman recites in the center, her words weaving in and out of the action. This section recalls the ideas of Merce Cunningham, with whom Dunn once danced, and his concept of nature as an art of composition—many elements, each unique, yet interconnected. Waldman’s repeated use of the word “entanglement” feels particularly apt, capturing the intricate web of relationships between the dancers, the music, and the audience.
This emphasis on multiplicity is also a hallmark of Body/Shadow, an experimental opera from the first week of Dunn’s season. Featuring 17 dancers and a single singer, composer Paul J. Botelho, the piece is a surreal and enchanting exploration of movement and sound. Botelho, dressed as a eccentric naturalist, wanders through the dancers, singing wordlessly in a countertenor voice and employing extended vocal techniques to create a wide range of sounds. The dancers, meanwhile, are in nearly constant motion, executing short, elegant phrases that build into a kaleidoscopic whole. Projections and shadow play add another layer of visual interest, while Botelho occasionally offers props to the audience, creating a sense of connection and shared experience.
A Celebration of Art and Imagination
Both L’Embarquement pour Cythère and Body/Shadow feel like acts of defiance, celebrations of the power of art in uncertain times. In L’Embarquement, the harmonious multiplicity of the dancers and the poetic fragments of Waldman’s text suggest a vision of pluralism and entanglement, a world where differences coexist in beautiful complexity. Yet, the piece also acknowledges the fragility of this vision, the threat of dissolution and tyranny that looms large. The dance’s extended finale, with its false ending and fading violins, feels like a refusal to let go, a determination to keep imagining even in the face of adversity.
Through these works, Dunn reaffirms his commitment to the imagination and the enduring power of art. In a world that often feels overwhelmed by darkness, L’Embarquement pour Cythère and Body/Shadow remind us of the beauty and strength that can emerge from entanglement—whether it’s the intricate web of relationships between dancers, the interplay of music and movement, or the resilience of the human spirit.
Douglas Dunn + Dancers continue to perform at Judson Memorial Church through Saturday. For more information, visit judson.org.