There have been a lot of small emerging dance productions in town lately. YouTurn is the newest and most engaging. Three dance artists (and visual and musical artists) gathered at the 10th Avenue Theatre last weekend and raised the bar with sophisticated work and some excellent performances. It was a complete package that ended with a sparkling rooftop reception.

Erica Buechner is the best known in the group, having worked with Mojalet, Patricia Sandback, Eveoke, and many other groups. Her tongue-in-cheek dance The Red Shoes poked fun at women trying to be perfect. Four women in evening gowns strutted like sirens from the 1950's; and they flopped bent wrists to Marilyn Monroe's "I want to be loved by you."

Their harmless antics soon switched from pucker practice to more serious tips, fueled by Shira Erlichman's poem, Six Tips on How to be a Straight Girl. With deadpan expressions, the women (Katie Griffin, Molly Puryear, Lavina Rich, and Donna Webb) responded to hilarious and off-color rules that involved kissing girls and, I'll paraphrase, enjoying sex as much as a wild hyenas. Overwhelmed, the desperate women fell into a daze and clomped about in red heels. Buechner's choreography was quite witty, and the dancers were terrific.

Falling In, by Buechner, was not as solid. Program notes mentioned blossoming sexual relationships, but movement felt like nightclub entertainment. The material grew thin, and the piece had no ending.

The solo Seating Arrangement by Maria Juan started out strong as Juan tested a collection of small chairs like Goldilocks. The best giggle was watching her plop onto an inflatable chair in perfect time with music. Other variations were not as successful and sort of fell flat.

Along with Buechner's The Red Shoes, the trio She Runs Interference, choreographed by Anne Gehman, was especially memorable. The multi-layered dance offered a view into the lives of multi-tasking women. Three dancers appeared on chairs surrounded by personal items, a safe little refuge that revealed clues about their daily lives and thoughts.

Dancer Alanna Buree was the carefree confident woman. She whipped her curly hair and was so laid back that she stopped to snack on chips. Minaqua McPherson was the secret seducer. She dressed herself in garters and a push-up bra. Not a man in the building was snoozing when she went crazy with a powder puff. Cecily Holcombe was the nervous observer, uncomfortable with her sexuality and powerless. Her grimacing was a hoot.

Still, Gehman didn't lose sight of the serious juggling that women really do. The dance was darkly funny. The overall tone was quite mysterious.

At Noon's High Tide was an attractive love triangle story filled with watery details. Costumes by Gehman - hems stitched up a bit and suspenders - made it feel aged. Choreographed and beautifully danced by Juan, Melissa Torres, and Brian Fidalgo, partnering was marked by strong lifts and focus. Choreography was taut and athletic. The ocean sound effects were unnecessary, but details such as white parasols and sepia toned fabrics contrasted with the undercurrent of betrayal. The artists in this YouTurn production are ones to watch.

Program

Artist biographies