Learning to Fly

Formed in 1982, the Parsons Dance Company is always trying to find ways to stay fresh. The company performs at the State Theatre Jan. 11.

By: Jillian Kalonick
   Dancers will tell you they do it because they cannot fly, but in 1982 David Parsons created a piece that blurs the distinction.

The Parsons Dance Company will perform "Caught" at the State Theatre Jan. 11.

   "It’s such a wonderful concept because everyone dreams of flying," dancer Elizabeth Koeppen says of "Caught," a piece she will perform with the Parsons Dance Company at the State Theatre in New Brunswick Jan. 11.
   Strobe lights and intense physical dancing make Ms. Koeppen appear to be suspended in mid-air. The visual tricks create the illusion that she is taking flight.
   "For those seven minutes, it pops out on stage. People never get tired of seeing that," she says. "It’s an amusing piece for the eye, and it gets people excited."
   Ms. Koeppen, a 13-year member and rehearsal director of the company, had watched the dance performed so many times, it took her only an hour to learn. However, dancing Parsons’ signature piece is by no means easy. Traditionally performed by a man, "Caught" requires a great deal of strength. Mr. Parsons, artistic director and founder of the company, chose Ms. Koeppen to perform it because of her skill and athleticism.
   "I had to grow into it myself," she says. "The challenge of the physicality of it was exactly suited to me, and I’ve been able to put more artistry into it."
   The piece is emblematic of the spirit of Mr. Parsons’ choreography: demanding, confrontational dancing achieving undivided attention from audience members. Humor is integral to many pieces, however, and through trickery or an exaggerated theme, an intense performance is a means to lighthearted effect.
   This is the case in "The Envelope," a piece that pokes fun at typical office paper chases.
   "It takes ordinary things that everyone deals with daily: paper and envelopes," Ms. Koeppen says. "David took that simple concept and made us laugh at it. It’s extremely difficult to perform, to have this lightness and trickery with an envelope."
   "Sleep Study," which she describes as hysterically funny, is also a playful take on a mundane yet universal subject — insomnia. Dancers toss and turn on the stage, which they use as a bed.
   Mr. Parsons’ pieces depend on those who watch them, a link that keeps the performers going. Ms. Koeppen describes it as an almost spiritual connection: "From the moment the curtain opens, the dancers’ personalities and souls go completely into the audience," she says. "The choreography lends itself completely to that circle of the dancer giving to the audience, and the audience giving right back to the dancer."
   Ms. Koeppen strives to achieve this union in "Nascimento," one of her favorite pieces to dance. Brazilian jazz composer Milton Nascimento created the score and sent tapes from Brazil to the company in New York City until he got it right. Ms. Koeppen works to transfer the flavor of the dance to the audience.
   "You feel like the whole country," she says. "You’re trying to exude that Brazilian feel and still have the strength to make the jumps look effortless."
   A jazz feel is also apparent in Mr. Parsons’ "Kind of Blue," with music by Miles Davis. Guest choreographer and former Parsons dancer Robert Battle will also showcase "Mood Indigo" at the performance, a dynamic piece that engages dancers in three duets.
   New pieces keep the company fresh after almost 15 years of performances. A leading dancer with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Mr. Parsons created his company with lighting director Howell Binkley in 1987. They proved their enduring popularity by performing in Times Square on New Year’s Eve 2000. The company has always worked to create a link with audiences, with its 10 full-time members holding community-based residencies and conducting hundreds of master classes and workshops.
   Mr. Parsons’ dances fail to lose their freshness, even after all these years. Audiences cannot seem to get enough of "Caught."
   "People want to see how we’re growing with the pieces," Ms. Koeppen says. "Each performance is a bit like ‘Caught,’ with its appeal lying in its impossibility.
   "It’s such a challenging piece, we’ve never said we’ve performed it perfectly. You’ll strive your whole life to get that elusive performance. If it all comes together one night, it’s a special night."
The Parsons Dance Company performs at the State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, Jan. 11, 8 p.m.
Tickets cost $20-$32. For information, call (732) 246-7469. On the Web: www.statetheatrenj.org