Dreams, Schemes, & Circus Crowds
Dreams, Schemes, & Circus Crowds
Dancer’s Edge Studios &Casting Shadows Productions
Pink Venue</strong>
It’s another ambitions multimedia extravaganza from local dance master Willy Marchante, and it’s got more ups and downs than a bungee jumping ride on I Drive. The story is complex by dance standards, Johnny (Marchante) is lost and alone, he runs away to join the circus, and finds it s the life he’s always wanted. Romance pops up in the form of Sarah (Jamie Rodriguez), she pure and holy and in love with him, but she want to leave the circus. Johnny loves circus, moves up the ropes (so to speak) and is about to star but trouble lurks. Miss Madam Black (Sara Fanok) and Mr. Nazium (Steven Johnson) conspire to keep Johnny in the sawdust, and when Sarah becomes pregnant she abandons him.
That’s a lot of plot to push into an hour of dance, so video projection fills in the exposition on a floppy screen. People move in and out of the video with some sense of timing, but the transitions back and forth annoy. Acrobatics are included thanks to aerialist Brie Shiflett. She knows her stuff, but the low ceiling of the venue limit her to performing on a metal ring. On the plus side, the dancing is up to Marchante usual high standards, even the creepy little girls in the striped pants keep up with the complex chorography as an AV monkey operates the projector and collects donations for an animal shelter. There’s enough material in this show for two full length projects, some judicious trimming is needed to get this show from a clutter three ring circus down to a tight, focused show.
This event is part of the 2010 Orlando International Fringe Festival. For schedule and ticket information, please visit http://OrlandoFringe.org
