Go Sin Some More

Dancing to the Down, the Dirty, and Dave Douglas

Comments (0) By Deborah Jowitt Tuesday, Jul 24 2001

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photo: Pete Kuhns

In the Groove: Trisha Brown Dance Company at La Guardia Concert Hall

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Parson is the only choreographer who nods to the Brecht-Weill Seven Deadly Sins, even though most of her music is by John Zorn. Molly Hickock sings a Weill song, and all five women (Hickock, Wisocky, Tymberly Canale, Kate Johnson, and Krissy Richmond) in Parson's terrifically bizarre and witty "Greed" spout German and squeaky Teutonic gibberish. Inhabiting what appears, via lights and Claudia Stephens's out-of-date dresses, to be a moldering mansion, they covet whatever interesting object they come upon (gloves! red shoes! Oh my God, a white umbrella—I must have it!).

Dorfman sees "Sloth" as purposeless activity that diverts people from their true work. Bishton and Paul Matteson compliment each other on their skill at doing nothing. (Hickock and Wisocky join them in this witty talking-dancing work.) Bishton, drawing music from cello suites by Bach and Britten, attempts to show "Envy" through formal patterns and shifting tensions that destroy the harmony of a circle. A pirouette competition escalates into sparring. Stephanie Liapis is ousted and squabbled over. "Envy," though full of interesting movement, doesn't seem fully shaped yet. Walker's "Anger" looks more like a display of aggressive pride and showy steps by Alexopoulos, La Fosse, Thomas, and Desmond Richardson; and La Fosse consigns Pride to the finale, a runway strut in which all, garbed in gold by Karl Lucifeld, get to parade their dream roles. A sin? Spiritual death? Hel-lo?