Dance dance resolution
In Mixed Company / Not just aesthetically beautiful, dance is a language with a complete vocabulary all its own. It can be ethereal, forceful, mournful, humorous, ecstatic and violent–and dancers move between these and other extremes gracefully, sometimes imperceptibly.
This weekend, the dance troupe In Mixed Company will explore the powerful language of dance and spoken word in a multi-media performance and has been described as “wasabi hot”. And while the troupe is based in Manhattan, its founding director says Hawaii plays a major role in its creative development.
“Hawaii has been a part of my psyche since I started this company,” says the troupe’s artistic director, Maura Nguyen Donohue. “After learning about the term ‘hapa,’ I was intrigued.”
Donohue, who is of Vietnamese and Irish descent, says she was drawn to the Hawaii colloquialism describing a person of multiple ethnicities. Specifically, she revered the notion of hapa being a state of fullness or completeness, versus being forced to identify with one background or the other.
Donohue is also dedicated to exploring other issues relating to identity including feminism and sexuality, both of which arise in her troupe’s performances.
“Feminism doesn’t have to be ‘don’t wear makeup, be manly,’” she says. “I see it as being sexual without being sexualized.”
The focal point of In Mixed Company’s Hawaii appearance will be “Rip it Open,” a “ferociously athletic” piece Donohue created seven years ago to address violence and performers’ individual experiences with violence.
Donohue cites the go-go dancing and karate-chopping of cult-classic Russ Meyer film, Faster, Pusscat! Kill! Kill! as her original inspiration for the multimedia-rich piece.
The troupe will also present the world premiere of “I’m Not Coming Back,” a lyrical and meticulously timed piece that explores the female body.
In Mixed Company’s Brian Nishii, who creates and manages the multimedia side of the troupe’s performances, is also the troupe’s lone male performer. But being outnumbered doesn’t seem to bother him.
“I end up being the token guy in our pieces,” he says. “It’s fun and scary to explore aspects of manhood with feminist ideas. I enjoy serving this purpose… I also love being beat up by all these girls.”
His hand in multimedia for In Mixed Company includes working with software that enables the video component to “react” to the performer’s movements–an element of interactivity that Nishii calls exciting.
“The voyeuristic feel of video as it’s own medium as another actor is amazing,” says Nishii. “With Rip it Open we have a live feed camera that allows which will zoom in and see one person versus a fixed view. These multiple perspectives allow the audience to live in many moments other than just one.“
And there are many moments not to miss from this performance.
“It cruises across a lot of territory,” says Donohue. “No one can leave without an opinion.”
COMMENTS
We often print online comments in our “Letters to the Editor” section of Honolulu Weekly. While submitted letters are often edited for length and clarity, online comments we use are printed entirely as they are written for the website. If you do not wish for your comment to be used in Honolulu Weekly print issues, please write “Don’t Print” at the end of your comment. For questions, e-mail editorial@honoluluweekly.com. Thank you!