On April 6th, a unique collaboration between spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi, dancer Wendy Whelan, choreographer Francesca Harper, and a quartet of musicians: Christine Lee, Michael Jinsoo Lim, Christina Siemens, and Laure Struber, held its world premiere at Meany Center at the University of Washington. Inspired by the January 6th, 2021 storm of the Capitol, with a recomposed score of Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals, by Sugar Vendil, this piece promised to be something that most don’t expect dance to be: political.
The evening-length work features a collaboration between three different art forms that do not often get to share a stage, or be so equally visible throughout. Music, spoken word, and dance blend together to evoke a sense of hope, and paint art as the medium with which humanity might be saved. One section featured the musicians playing over the recorded shouts from January 6th, which reminded me of none other than the orchestra that played into the frightful night as the Titanic sank. Perhaps that is far too dramatic a comparison, but this image came to me again and again throughout the piece, the feeling of art erasing, healing, and promising something greater.
Marc Barmuthi’s rich language shone as the main force behind the reflections on that eventful January day, but it was the dance-centered moments, when words gave way to music and dance, that allowed the audience to digest what they’d just heard. Moments of contemplation, and deeper understanding were brought forth through movement. When Whelan moved to Batmuthi’s words, the choreography was often more dance-accompaniment than dance holding its own voice, as the movement became a literal transcription of poetry, a closed caption made of dance. But when the words fell away, Whelan shone in a new light, and the choreography gave room for more purposeful, flowing movement. It is an honor to watch Wendy Whelan move through any pattern of motion, but there seems to be a certain glee in the most balletic movements, little glimmers of familiar muscle memory, like glimpses of an old friend. Her port de bra alone tells stories of decades of hard work and dedication to the art that shines through even in a piece so removed from the world of ballet.
The ending of this piece is a potent calm after the reckoning and declarations that come before. As the reworked “The Swan” blossomed from the quartet, Whelan walked upstage with her back to the audience while bringing her arms through instantly recognizable “swan arms”. Her shadow grew smaller as she journeyed upstage until she met herself there, face to face with her darker reflection. Although “The Swan” is music that pulls on the heart, it also painted a picture of hope and beauty, and the role of art in all things as the night came to a close.
Whelan continues to rewrite the conceptions of when a body should stop moving. Throughout the night, I kept thinking about a quote from her 2016 documentary, Restless Creature: “At times, I’ve said if I don’t dance, I’d rather die.” And here she is, dancing through speckled light as if she could continue on forever. Whelan has found a way to stretch her capacities past the realm of ballet, and, as this world premiere demonstrates, has formed collaborations that seem to lift everyone involved.
Carnival of the Animals is a patchwork quilt of artistic mediums that blend together to create a unique voice, and that tackles the political climate in a surprisingly beautiful way. Music, dance, and spoken word come together in balanced unison, and leave the audience with a vision of hope for humanity. In the coming months, Carnival of the Animals will see performances across the country, but Seattle was lucky enough to see the premiere, and to welcome these renowned artists to Meany Hall. I hope that this piece helps people see how art can be a tool for healing, and grappling with the unthinkable, as well as the role that art plays in creating a brighter, more thoughtful, peaceful world.
If you have not yet seen the documentary Restless Creature, I urge you to take the time to see how this legendary dancer has reshaped visions of aging in the dance world.
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