41
DANCE
artners in life and partners in art, dancer
choreographers Daniel Kirk and Eric
Skinner just celebrated their ninth
anniversary—and on May 11 they’ll cele
brate opening night of their newest venture,
The Collection.
Their first self-produced program of new
dances, The Collection also refers to the per
formers themselves: Kirk, Skinner and guest
artists Davida Haas and Elizabeth Lewis-
Burden. In fact, Kirk says it may evolve into an
ongoing series of performances.
Both accomplished performers with impres
sive credentials, the two men met during their
early years together at the Oregon Ballet The
atre. After nine years with OBT, they left to
pursue other projects, including opportunities
to do choreography.
“We got what we wanted out of our OBT
experience,” Kirk said in a recent interview,
adding that “the ballet has become so young.”
Indeed, Kirk recalls that when he left OBT
in 1996, “13 other dancers also left—the old
guard—and we were all replaced with 17- and
18-year-olds.” He has a good rapport with OBT
Artistic Director James Canfield, however, and
feels honored that he was the first dancer Can-
field ever asked to return as a guest artist,
which he has done several times.
Apropos of his 35th birthday on May 5,
Kirk coincidentally appears in this May 5 edi
tion of Just Out more or less in his birthday suit
(in photos accompanying “Size Matters,”
which begins on Page 25). Thirty-five is an age
that used to be considered old for a dancer.
“Seven years ago that would have bothered
me,” he confides.
But as the accompanying photos attest,
Skinner, who is 37, and Kirk are both aging
beautifully. And despite spending his 30th
birthday in traction for a spinal injury, Kirk is
still going strong.
“I don’t see any reason to stop anytime
soon,” he says, then adds: "Until people say,
‘Daniel, it’s time to
“We're joined stop.’ I just hope I
make good choices
at the hip...
artistically. As you
lose certain things,
it's how we you
gain others.”
P
formed our
relationship.
When we're
doing
separate
projects, it
seems odd."
t’s fascinating how
one random event
can alter a person’s
life forever.
At 16, Daniel Kirk
was all set to pursue a
career in architecture
when he attended a
production of a local
dance company in
Laguna Beach, Calif., his hometown. “That
one performance changed it all,” he recalls. "1
just knew that night I wanted to dance.”
After a brief apprenticeship and only three
years of training, Kirk was accepted into the
prestigious school of the Joffrey Ballet in New
York. During his four years with the Joffrey, he
was sent out as a guest artist, which turned out
to be a great education for his eventual life as
an itinerant dancer.
Eric Skinner also took a direct route to his
career, beginning in Muncie, Ind., gaining a
B.A. in dance, followed by training at the Jof
frey school and the Pacific Northwest Ballet in
Seattle. Soon after, Skinner moved south to
become a founding member of OBT.
Both men agree that working together pro
fessionally and becoming friends for a year and
a half before they started dating is the secret to
the health of their partnership. “There were no
surprises," Kirk remembers. “I knew Eric didn’t
make his bed in the morning."
But it sounds like Martha Stewart could
I
each man has great admira
tion for the other’s work.
Kirk says Skinner as a
dancer has great energy and
“the most beautiful legs and
feet—he’s a fast mover,
which is fun to see.” And as
a choreographer, Kirk
believes Skinner has “a sense
of sculpture.”
Skinner admires Kirk’s
strength and commanding
presence onstage. An added
thrill is that Kirk is strong
enough to lift Skinner high
in the air during their duets,
something most men don’t
get to experience in classical
ballet. “It’s awesome...I love
being up in the air,” Skinner
exults.
As a choreographer,
Skinner enjoys watching
Kirk’s creative process,
which is so different from his
own kinesthetic approach.
“He’ll hear a piece of music
and see the whole dance in
his head. It takes me a little
longer,” he says with genuine
admiration.
The six pieces in The
Collection reflect many
moods, starting with “One,”
ft
a trapeze duet the two men
i
first performed with
aero/betty and have since
by O riana G reen
toured extensively. The
piece is a tender, sensual
dance set to an operatic song
by Cantaloube.
“One” will be followed
by Kirk and Skinner in “Pas de Deux
drop in anytime. As the admitted neat queen
Hommes,” an excerpt from Apollo and Hyacinth
of their house, Kirk says, “I can’t relax if there’s
set to an original composition by Portlander
stuff to be done.”
David York, which they premiered in 1998 at a
Adding to the joy in their home—and their
benefit for Cascade AIDS Project.
only regret when they go on tour—is Jemimah,
“For this performance we’re just doing the
their 5-year-old Labrador.
love scene,” Kirk explains, also happy to add
Since leaving OBT the men have rarely
that there’s a kiss.
worked apart, and both swear they are not
competitive with each other. Occasional artis
tic differences are settled with clear communi
cation skills. When it’s suggested that they
Their first
sound too good to be true, they agree.
self produced
“We’ve just always done things this way,”
program of
Kirk contends. “We’re joined at the hip...it’s
how we formed our relationship. When we’re
new dances,
doing separate projects, it seems odd.”
The Collection
In addition to spending summers with the
Los Angeles Chamber Ballet, the men helped
also refers to
r
birth the aero/betty dance troupe. They’re also
the performers
founding members of the Portland company
Bodyvox and have toured with the group in
themselves: Kirk,
Italy, Canada and all over the United States.
Skinner and guest
“It’s really a full experience to work with
artists Davida Haas
such a mature company,” Kirk says with great
enthusiasm.
and Elizabeth Lewis
More recently, the duo has been dancing
Burden. In fact. Kirk
with the Portland Opera in productions of
Aida, Carmina Burana and The Cunning Little
says it may evolve
Vixen.
into an ongoing series
Skinner jokes about an unusual cast mem
ber of Aida. “We got to spend some quality
of performances.
time with Tiki,” he recalls, referring to the ele
phant that tried to steal the show.
In each
other's
arms
J
Two Portland
men entwine
their bodies
to myriad
rhythms
graphed himself. He also designed a duet for
Kirk and Elizabeth Lewis-Burden set to the sec
ond movement of Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3.
The finale is a piece the men choreo
graphed together for all four dancers set to
Bach’s A Musical Offering. The dance is divided
into six short sections, and Kirk and Skinner
had fun matching their moves to Bach’s whim
sical inventions. For one part, Bach turned his
score upside down and added the reversed
notation as a counterpoint to his original
melody. In the dance, one woman moves across
the floor while another performs the reverse
movements above her on a trapeze.
Kirk and Skinner
are also excited about
the venue for The “Sometimes
Collection, the new
Bodyvox Studio that we give 'em
they helped create on
the third floor of the the beefcake,
Bridgeport Brewery
building. The eight and some
members of Bodyvox times we
all worked to install
the complex, layered give 'em
sprung floor that
dancers require. It’s good' art."
an intimate space
with seats for the 100
audience members all around the dance floor.
“This kind of presentation is great for us,
because you feel more of the energy of the
audience, and you can feed off that,” Kirk
enthuses.
Also devoted members of the queer com
munity, Kirk and Skinner repeatedly volunteer
their talents to good causes, especially Cascade
AIDS Project.
“We love doing it,” Kirk explains with a
smirk. “Sometimes we give ’em the beefcake,
and sometimes we give ’em good art.”
And, yes, this upcoming show offers plenty
of both.
■ T he C ollection runs May ll to 14 at
Bodyvox Studio, 1300 N.W. Northrup St. in
Portland. Tickets are $12 by reservation only from
(503) 229-0627. Tickets are also on sale now for
A T housand L ittle C ities , the new Bodyvox
K
B
|||
Also included is a solo piece for Davida
he cast for their upcoming show, The Col
Haas
that Kirk choreographed with a jazz influ
lection, is entirely two-legged—and special,
ence. “I tend to go for more moody and melod
because all four people have danced
together for many years, starting at OBT The ic music, yet I try not to go there every time,”
six pieces in the program are all choreographed he explains. “I don’t want all my stuff to look
the same."
by Kirk and Skinner, some individually and
Skinner then dances solo to “Feeling Good”
others as collaborations.
sung
by Nina Simone in a piece he choreo-
Though their methods are very different,
T
show at Portland State University, which plays
June 8 through 18. Tickets are $24 from Fastixx.
O riana G reen used to dance all night, but
now she prefers to watch. She is the Entertainment
Editor for Just Out and can be reached at
onana@justout com.