Steps in march

Step Afrika! is coming to the Zeiterion

by Steven Froias

As Rosemary Gill, Executive Director of the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in New Bedford notes, among cultural organizations in the city, “We were the first to close and the last to reopen.”

Perhaps that’s why now that we’re emerging from the pandemic, the Z is embracing performances that demand your attention in the present moment. Maybe it’s why, during the month of March, it is embracing the often neglected discipline of dance.

There’s arguably no performance that requires your devotion in the moment like dance on stage. It’s an art form that’s meant to be experienced as a viewer and even as a participant. And the Z’s March lineup offers both to audiences.

The Z is branding March as “Dance Discovery Month” at the venue. They write that, “whether an expert or simply a spectator, engage with fellow dance fans as you experience the art form through a variety of fun and inspiring events.” In fact, each of two highlighted special live dance events offer secondary opportunities to learn more, and even get into your own groove.

On Sunday, March 20, the acclaimed dance company Pilobolus brings their tour of “The Big Five-Oh!” to New Bedford. It distills 50 years of the dance company into this one special performance featuring five “fantasy-like” sequences. Each illustrates the values of the company, or as they put it, “a half century of radical creativity and boundary-pushing… as we question our own givens and turn traditions sideways.”

Pilobolus began at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in 1971. Moses Pendleton, an English literature major and cross-country skier; Jonathan Wolken, a philosophy science major and fencer; and Steve Johnson, a pre-med student and pole vaulter were enrolled in a dance composition class taught by Alison Becker Chase. In that class, they created their first dance, which they titled “Pilobolus” – and a legacy of movement and magic was born.

Current Artistic Co-directors Renee Jaworski and Matt Kent say to this day, Pilobolus retains the revolutionary spirit of the Vietnam War-era social protest movement. Since 1971, Pilobolus has tested the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies.

Patrons can ask them their own questions when they and the dancers participate in a pre-show talk. Also, as part of Dance Discovery, and marking the special appearance of Pilobolus at the Z to celebrate their 50th anniversary, South Coast photographer Denn Santoro will have a special exhibit in the Zeiterion Lounge.

Santoro will be displaying photographs taken by him during two days of Pilobolus rehearsals in September 2021, shot in actual stage light conditions.

Active steps

The next dance company on the Z schedule is also rooted in tradition. An even longer tradition stretching all the way back to Africa.

Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional African dances, and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows. They integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation.

The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding. All together, it adds up to bringing to life the tradition of stepping.

On Saturday, March 26, Step Afrika! Artists will lead a class in stepping technique drills and teach choreography, concluding with an opportunity for questions with the artists. This class is free, but tickets are required. (Tickets for all the events in this article can be reserved at zeiterion.org.) Class will be on the Zeiterion stage, and participants are asked to wear leather-soled shoes or tennis shoes.

Step Afrika! Arrives at the Z on Friday, March 25. But, before March ends, there’s one more dance-themed evening.

On Wednesday, March 30, the Z welcomes Motion State Film by Dance Barre, based in Providence. It won’t be bringing any actual dancers to the stage, but rather its Motion State Dance Film Series – the only short film festival in New England devoted to showcasing the diversity of contemporary creative voices exploring the medium of choreography for the camera.

Unlike Step Afrika!, audiences can sit this one out. But then again, if the urge to move gets into your bones, there’s always the aisle!