I’ll admit, as a
lifelong tapper, I had lofty expectations for “Rhythm Tap” at RAPA Wednesday
night. The art of hoofing is often lost this day in age – and I’m thrilled to
say that in William “Bill” Evans and Cheryl Johnson’s performance, it’s been
found again. The duo’s 50-minute Fringe Fest show is a fun, well-paced cross-section
of rhythmic tap history that’s easily accessible even to the non-dancer.
The pair start the evening with the roots – a sand dance (“Danzon A La Playa”). It’s similar to that scene in “History
of the World, Pt. 1″ with Gregory Hines, but less about the jokes and more
about the intricate rhythms the two dancers pound out on the barren stage,
covered in two small piles of sand. The piece, set to an original composition
by pianist Richard DeLaney, starts slow and simple,
but really cooks toward the end.
Between performances,
while the dancers change their shoes and catch a breath, they give nods to the
greats before them: Leon Collins and Buster Brown in particular. That’s the
idea behind Johnson’s solo piece “Footprints.” I was a bit skeptical when she
started putting socks over her tap shoes, but she stomped out every note
with precision and a certain tenderness that really worked. About halfway
through the piece, she kicked off the socks and picked up the pace – and she
was on fire — tapping, twirling all over the stage.
Every so often, she’d go
to the mic to sing a few notes. And while her voice
was fine, it sounded a bit forced and I didn’t think the singing enhanced the
performance. You don’t have to be a song and dance man, so to speak.
Johnson felt much more natural when she was tearing up the dance floor (and she
really does).
For his solo, Evans
paired classic tunes (“Three Preludes” by Gershwin),
with an unconventional mix of tap and modern dance (he has a background in
both). The result wasintriguing.
It’s hard to describe – because I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.
At times, Evans’ movements feel slightly laborious, but it almost didn’t
matter. The grin he was wearing from ear to ear is a wonderful reminder to the
audience of what dance is really about: having fun. And he clearly does.
The pair brought it home
with “Laura,” a piece known to hoofers by Buster Brown. And although most
performances are set to the song of the same name, Evans and Johnson perform
their last piece a cappella, with stunningly effective results. The crispness of their toe taps and heel drops and every intricate
beat in between sent rings throughout the theater. Johnson pulled off a
masterful move where her legs appeared to be spinning around and around like a
cartoon character getting ready to run away. I’m still not sure how she did it.
The result is an
entertaining introduction to the world of tap that will have audiences tapping
along and falling in love with lost (now found) artform.
“Rhythm Tap Rochester”
has one final performance on Friday, September 27, 5-6 p.m. at RAPA’s East End
Theatre. Admission is free, but seating is first come, first serve.
There isn’t a better
venue at Fringe Fest for the short play “12 Dollars” than Acanthus Cafe. Not
only does the coffee shop serve as a backdrop for the characters’ argument over
favors owed, friends and foes past, and who they really care about, but its
intimacy makes the emotions of the characters that much more raw and immediate.
Two men, one older and
one younger (played by David Byrne and Mohammad Seraji),
confront one another over the titular $12 and an insult directed at one of
their late loved ones. But as their fight escalates over what to do about the
slight, we quickly realize it’s about more than the money and the insult, as
the duo explores what they really mean to one another and why they even showed
up there in the first place. The fast-paced, fascinating drama is smartly
acted, well written, and offers insight into how we handle our own close
relationships.
Sadly, after the Fringe
Fest closes down, so does Acanthus. The café will shut its doors after
Saturday, a little over a year after opening up in the East End. I only wish I
had discovered its friendly vibe and scrumptious brownie sundae sooner, and
that it could stick around to serve as a backdrop for future Fringe Festivals.
The final performance of
“12 Dollars” will take place Friday, September 27, at 10 p.m. at Acanthus.
Admission is free, but seating is limited.
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 1, 2013.
