San Francisco Trolley Dances

[joanna]

What a joy! Trolley Dances enables the viewer not only to see six of San Francisco's dance companies, but also to discover unseen and unknown sites. Riding Muni's new T-Third line, the observer discovers the Bay south of ATT park, the UCSF Mission Bay campus, and the Bayview Opera House, as well as industrial sites and clusters of homes and shops.

Kim Epifano's Epiphany Productions sponsored this event, now in its 5th year, starting in a new space, the S F Public Library Mission Bay. There, Philein Wang and Zi RuTiger Hip Hop entertained the gathering audience with smoothly executed Tai Chi and Hip-Hop moves on the sidewalk. After this mini site event, at China Basin, Scott Wells & Dancers extended Hip-Hop, Contact Improv and modern dance techniques along side the Bay, with Wells' humor and the dancers' skills thoroughly entertaining the crowd. As the performers went from acrobatic skills to blasé reading pauses, the viewers responded with pure pleasure and much laughter.

After a long Trolley trip Joanna Haigood's Zaccho Dance Theatre and Bayview Opera House groups welcomed the riders with song, dance and an exhibition of Capoeira. The Last Poets, The Seastrunk Brothers provided rich deep voices, Haigood's group dance "rEvolution", three men and one woman offered great rhythmic moves in classy ensemble and Capoeira Roda de Angollla gave an unusual performance of the martial art, Capoeira. Twelve men and boys, of various ages, presented moves that originated in the Congo, as Master Terry Baruti explained. The form was later adapted in Brazil, where most people believe it began. It was thrilling to see young and old join together and to hear their music.

After another brief Trolley ride, returning on the same route, the group, feeling the San Francisco fog creeping in, gathered close together to watch Jean Isaac's San Diego Dance Theater at the UCSF Bayview Campus. Isaac's also sponsors Trolley Dances in San Diego. Her mini-event, the dancers running, jumping, sprawling, reading and stretching on benches and along side the courtyard's giant bronze sculptures, led the spectators to the enormous Genetech Hall for Epiphany Productions Sonic Dance Theater's work, "And the Stars Above".  To a score reminiscent of classic Greek modal sound by Daryl Henline, nine dancers dressed in toga-like drapes  (but with the requisite running shoes) and aerialist Alayna Stroud executed wide sweeping gestures to fill the buildings many steps and platforms. Stroud, who started at the very top of the huge building, slowly moved down to join the others. Closer to the audience, the dancers illustrated the text, lists of Muses, astrological images and a Delphic hymn, with duets, lifts, cries and gestures of offering. The massive space tended to overwhelm any gesture, but the commitment of the ensemble warmed the audience, as did the passion of the singers.

Trolley Dances, for me, is one of San Francisco's best dance events.  They represent the innovative work being done in the Bay Area, the range of skills and choreographic possibilities available here and, of course, the magic that is the environment of our magnificent natural setting.

Joanna G. Harris,
October 20, 20088