Nicole Wolcott Is My New Goddess.

Last night I made an exciting dance discovery down at “Dance New Amsterdam.” After an exhausting workweek, I must say that I wasn’t too eager to be going to a dance show. When I got on the train with Carson and Scott to go down to the Financial District but ended up in Brooklyn I REALLY wasn’t looking forward to it. I couldn’t have been more surprised by this wonderful performance of “Portraits” by “Keigwin + Company.”

A company of less than 10 dancers, every piece was overflowing with originality and talent on every level. Of course this shouldn’t have surprised me much seeing a fabulous friend from Montana, Nicole Wolcott, is both an incredible dancer and the associate artistic director of the company. What really did surprise me was the variety and consistency of the choreography. Credited mainly to Artistic Director Larry Keigwin (with help from Nicole and other dancers on some works) it was one of the first shows I have seen in a long time that was laugh out loud funny at moments then subtle and touching the next.

I am always intrigued when people can manage to use pop music without making it seem like tacky competition dance and the “Female Portraits” were a testament to the fact that it is possible. Nicole did an incredible solo to “Stand Back” by Stevie Nicks, complete with hair blowing fan. While hers was perhaps the strongest solo, she was matched in the rest of the program by Ying-Ying Shiau (who rocked out to Cyndi Lauper’s “Change of Heart.”)

Even in the most touching moments there was still humor as was evident in the final piece “Love Songs.” A series of 6 duets using 3 different couples, each one follows the development of love and it’s different forms: naïve flirtation, lustful intensity and heartbreak. As I watched the first and fourth duets danced by Ying-Ying and Patrick Ferren, I found them so touching I just wanted to dance them in a studio with a friend.

All of the dancers were beautiful throughout and the choreography so consistent, I wish that there were more than one show left. Keigwin has a distinctive movement vocabulary that focuses on the most minute of movements from the fingers to the tilt of the head and I found all of it thrilling. I even professed interest in working with him at some point if he was ever looking for dancers. Could be a fun exploration on the side of ABT. Possibilities have already been thrown around which is exciting to me, so stay tuned. If you can get your ass down to DNA by 3 this afternoon I suggest you do so. Judging from the audience last night the show will be sold out again today so call before hand!

(Schmoozing at the after party.)