Dance Review: A Very Sw!ng Out Holiday at The Joyce
Had the chance to write about Sw!ng Out at the Joyce! Here is the link: https://stageandcinema.com/2024/12/04/a-very-swing-out-holiday-the-joyce/
Nimble and percussive feet, wild windmill arms, and bright brilliant smiles are abundant and infectious when watching A Very Sw!ng Out Holiday at The Joyce. Running from December 3-15th, the dance company showcases an amalgamation of lindy hop and tap dance to create a boisterous, jovial night. Accompanied by a Big Band at the back of the stage, the twelve dancers of the collective evoke carefree, festive cheer with faces and bodies exuding an endearingly cheeky self-satisfaction.
Caleb Teicher (director, choreographer, and dancer in Sw!ng Out) weaves improv and choreography together, creating solos, duets, and group pieces that mingle with the music in dynamic and expressive ways. That being said, Teicher and his fellow dancers are not afraid to abandon the need for music altogether and indulge in various means of physical musical accompaniment. By tapping, clapping, stomping, and sliding, the dancers' bodies become more than just instruments for movement. Teicher completes an impressive and elaborate tap solo, trotting on stage with his arms bent as if he is himself a reindeer. Traversing the whole stage, he transforms into a human drum, and it is delightful.
The comradery in the show is palpable as dancers cheer each other on in large circles and interact with the band behind them tenderly. Breanna Jorden toys with Eyal Vilner, the band leader and sax player, matching his tonality with her fast jumpy legs. Like cat and mouse, the duo creates a feedback loop between music and movement; it no longer matters which came first or who wins- they end their chase in an embrace.
The Big Band is remarkable and entirely deserves the thunderous applause they are given. The jazzy Christmas tunes sung by the radiant Imani Rousselle paired with dizzying sultry trumpets gave me goosebumps and I wished I could listen to them play forever. The band had transported me to a smokey underground jazz bar, and I felt all that was missing was my drink.
The night continued with breakneck speed as the jittery ecstatic Samantha Siegel stormed the stage with various partners to boot. Jubilation exploded from her twists and turns, her center rock solid, as her lengthy limbs kicked up and out like bursts of confetti. In group sections, Latasha Barnes and Jennifer Jones flew over their partner's heads, each lift as light and thrilling as the next.
Sitting in my chair I was not once worried about the dancers’ safety or felt they hadn’t been prepared for what lay before me. Their self-assured and relaxed professionalism permitted me to do what I always wish to do in the theater: sit back and enjoy what lies before me. If you want to get tipsy on dance, attend Sw!ng Out, they are sure to leave you giddy, dizzy, and eager for more.
so delightful ❤️