Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (April 23, 2008)
2 Arts Culture Wednesday, April 23, 2008 ________________ Clackamas Rhythmically delightful musicflot out of the Roseland Theater on A Emily Walters Arts & Culture Editor Smooth, velvety simplicity cast a spell over a varied audi ence at the Roseland Theater on the evening of April 13. The downtown Portland venue was host to the bluesy-alternative group Cat Power, with the support of the French band Appaloosa. The concert was part of Cat Power’s current tour for the band’s most recent album, “Jukebox,” which covers records from many of the music elite, such as Frank Sinatra and Janis Joplin, to name just a couple. Anne Laure of Appaloosa opened the show, wearing a glit tery, strapless, teal dress with a black leather jacket. She took up the first 30 minutes with sev eral songs, including “L’Amour Hard” and “The Day We Fell in Love.” While the blend of Laure’s voice with a synthesizer was not terrible, her performance might have been more enjoyable jf her dancing had not looked like a rab bit doing jumping jacks, which put her outfit in constant danger of falling down. When Cat Power took over the stage, vocalist Chan Marshall instantly began to hypnotize with her raspy-chocolate voice. Marshall stepped in front of the crowd attired in tight black jeans and an olive button-up top, completing her ensemble with a messily-tied black tie and white lace-up flats. With the smoking piano and organ player Gregg Foreman, guitarist J] bass player Erik Pa drummer Jim White f accompaniment, Mars waltzed through the s Among the bigges night was “Ramblin’ a cover of the song attributed to Hank during which Marsh crooned “some folks say/I ain’t no good,” would find hard to I hearing her. Another was the I version of one of ( older songs, “Met mixed to perfection warbling guitar, soft crashing cymbals. “Silver Stallion” w ly different direction, reminiscent of old music - no surprise i originally by The Hi Foreman accompanii in the background. The most entranc though, was Patsy Cl Got You,” which h er beat that allowed unique interpretation shine through. The band slowly I for a break amidst c clapping, leaving oi consistent beat echoi the crowd. It was i again by the throbbin beautiful organ, befo group reassembled ti the fantastic perform For more informs dates and to hear ( music, go to myspa power. All photos by Andrea Simpson Clackamas Print ABOVE: Cat Power’s lead singer Chan Marshall sings huskily into the microphone in front of the band. The drummer Jim White (behind) kept a solid beat going throughout the entire night. RIGHT: Gregg Foreman, the piano and organ player, takes a long drag from his cigarette as his other hand quickly dances its way along the keys. He also sang background vocals in one of the songs. The Grand Tour comes to life at the Oregon Ballet The Andrea Simpson The Clackamas Print The Oregon Ballet Theatre opened the third installment of its Grand Tour series Friday, April 18, to a nearly sold-out auditorium. The America program consisted of three works and two intermissions. The first work, “Through Eden’s Gates,” is a ballet set to ragtime and jazz music with contemporary moves integrated in a surprisingly natural cadence. The music is composed by Pacific Northwest native William Bolcom and choreographed by Kent Stowell. Traveling in patterns and eventually coming together in synchrony before twirling offstage, the dancers engage in rounds of high-flying kicks to start the show. One of the highlights of the solo and duet performances that followed was that of Alison Roper and Ronnie Underwood. Roper and Underwood executed a dance that smacked of extremely flirty, salsa-inspired movements. They even did hip sways that would have made Elvis proud. The sexual attrac tion between the couple was almost palpable and undeniably turned up the temperature in the theater. Another stand-out routine was carried out by báHerina Yuka lino. In the scene “Fast, Furious,” lino used sharp and abstract motions to illustrate the range of the'ballet. When joined by five male dancers on stage, she proved how quirky and seductive she could be, both fending off and enticing the men. ' The ballet endec) in a reprise of its beginning, with thunder ous applause from the audience. In the next ballet of the production, “Just,” the performers conveyed a message that spoke to the beauty of two human bodies moving together and the harmony they can create. In contrast to the previous piece, the music of “Just” is more classical, featuring a variety of odd instruments such as the jalatarang - a set of ceramic bowls that produce a range of non-specific pitches when struck. The costumes played an interesting role. They were designed to look like the crossing ribbons on ballet pointe shoes. The imagery gave the feeling of everything being stripped away, leaving one remaining focus: the dance. The costumes were very simple, there was no set and the movements were distinctly modem. At one point, dancer Artur Sultanov soloed to music that sounded like a ticking clock, and his choppy, jerky motions reflected the passing of time. “Just” is composed by Henry Cowell and choreographed by Trey McIntyre. The third and final ballet presented was “Slaughter on Tenth Ave.” This combination of ballet and show-dancing is set within the 1936 Broadway musical “On your Toes,” choreographed by legend George Balanchine. Ima time when American ballet was still estabfishing roots, Balanchine took it to Broadway, and this piece definitely dates itself in the 1930s. The plot involves a love triangle between a ballerina, a bal let dancer and the choreographer. Throw a gangster waiting in the actual audience into foe mix, and it is more of a comedy routine than a ballet. The dance is a combination of ballet, jazz and tap. Kathi Martuza, as a striptease girl, was brilliant in foe way she per fectly blended ballet and subtle striptease elements. In fight of foe dramatic storyline, much of foe dancing in this production comes in foe form of exceedingly exaggerated moves, keeping foe audience in stitches. The America program at OBT demonstrates that ballet is not simply set to classical music and catered to a high-brow audience. With popular dances like foe Charleston and bits of seduction, foe show connects with individuals ft of life. Ballet is alive and well at foe Oregon Ballet T The show runs April 18 through 27 and is foil Russian program June 6 through 8.
