The word “lunacy” derives from the name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna. It refers to an intermittent madness brought about by tides and phases of the moon.
It is appropriate, therefore, that on the evening coinciding with February’s full moon, Feb. 2, Eveoke Dance Theatre opened its Isadora Duncan-inspired work intime titled “Luna “” Dances of Love.” The inaugural performance of the tripartite celebration of love was danced on a 9-by-12-foot Oriental rug placed in the center of photographer Jeffrey Lamont Brown’s Rattner Building studio, a space that cries out for performance art in a largely bereft city. It’s likely Brown has other plans for his workspace, but it’s a great thought. Additional performances take place in living rooms around the San Diego area throughout February.
Oddly enough, a studio in the Rattner Building is where Eveoke, now in its 13th season, had its beginnings more than a decade ago, a fact that artistic director Gina Angelique referred to as “full circle” in prefatory remarks.
Angelique’s three choreographic lunacies “” “Serpentine,” “Luna” and “Trailblazing” ” have to do with different types of love. The first two dances were inspired by the birth of her children, Shealyn and Isadora, fathered by husband Christopher Hall, Eveoke’s co-founder and producer. The third has to do with that often-fraught time in a love relationship when a couple stops gazing only at each other and looks outward together.
Angelique, a genius at picking music, choreographs for the body as lyrical instrument. The choreographer danced the solo “Serpentine,” set on music by Ani Difranco, due to co-founder Nikki Dunnan’s broken foot (Dunnan is scheduled to resume dancing later this month). It may well be Angelique’s San Diego swan song as performer, since she, Hall and the children are moving to Northern California soon. She is, as always, the very embodiment of a nurturing and fecund female concerned about bringing a child into a world beset by the “military, industrial mystery.”
As an adjunct to the mostly heavy evening, Anthony Rodriguez’s playful, Romper Roomish “I Love Color” was danced by Rodriguez and company dancer Erika Malone and set on music by Nina Simone.
The lyrical “Luna,” coincidental with the birth of Isadora and set on Vladimir Martynov’s ravishingly lovely string work, “Come In!,” was danced by Erika Moore, full of passion and dedication.
Choreographed for three different sets of company dancers, “Trailblazing” was performed on opening night by Rodriguez and his extraordinarily expressive partner, Doug Johnson, fondly remembered in Eveoke’s most recently performed works, “Hips” and “Soul of a Young Girl: Dances of Anne Frank.” In its push-me-pull-you for control, “Trailblazing” verges on the comical, as Rodriguez apparently is unable to move on from the couple’s established routine, no matter how painful it is or no matter how he is invited. Johnson embodies often petulant yet loving impatience in the piece set on Avo Part’s “Lamentate.” Other pairs set to perform the work are Yvonne Hernandez and Moore and Dunnan and Malone.
Tickets for hosted performances of “Luna ” Dances of Love” are $40. Patrons may check the schedule of locales on the Web site and reserve tickets by calling (619) 238-1153. Eveoke also offers two performances of “Luna” at the reduced price of $20 at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Eveoke studio, 644 7th Ave., downtown.
Sunshine: Hall was beside himself with joy opening night. He had just signed an agreement with 10th Ave. Theatre owner Jeff Cotta, who intends to save the building for community arts. Hall said that seven theater and dance companies are signed up so far, among them Eveoke, Sledgehammer and Sushi.