Dance Review – May 14, 2010
DanceWorks – Nova Bhattacharya’s Isolated Incidents
Reviewed by Paula Citron
Solo dance artist Nova Bhattacharya proves that bharatanatyam can be funny in her new two-part work Isolated Incidents . The first, Aditi, which means “limitless”, is performed in snorkel flippers; the second, Anjali, which means “offering”, in a swirling sari.
In the first part, Bhattacharya is arrayed in a stunning costume by Caroline O’Brien that that makes the dancer look like a fish. We can see that she is trying to tell stories through the movement that mirror the narrative art of bharatanatyam.
When she breaks out in text, where all the sentences begin with “Once upon a time…”, we realize she is giving us the first line of the stories we just saw which range from the sacred to the silly. The second part is a prayer in movement.
This clever east meets west fusion expresses the wonder of the human imagination. Ed Henley’s score and Mark Parent’s lighting are wonderfully evocative.
Isolated Incidents continues at the Enwave Theatre until tomorrow.
Isolated Incidents
DanceWorks/Ipsita Nova Dance Projects
Choreographed and performed by Nova Bhattacharya
Enwave Theatre, May 13 to 15, 2010