Graceful Contortions

TO A BOTANIST "pilobolus" is a kind of fungus that ejects its spores. It might seem a poor choice for the name of a dance troupe, but in an odd way "pilobolus" does suggest their style. Departing from classical ballet form, where the body moves with a fluid grace. Pilobolus has choreographed dances that stress the interaction of human bodies. By contorting their backs and intertwining their limbs these six dancers' can arrange themselves in a staggering number and variety of patterns. The dancers bodies often mingle in such complex and intriguing ways that their limbs and extremities seem extensions of a large fungus-like growth.

In one dance three bodies combine to depict a knight jousting--one man represents the horse, the second dancer sitting on his shoulders becomes the rider, and the third is suspended vertically as the lance. The bodies move in tandum as the horse rears and the rider thrusts his lance.

These acrobatic poses seem best-suited to the humorous, thematic dances in the program. The performance begins with Anaendrom which, as the title suggests, parodies a futuristic society. The music is eerie and electronic, reminiscent of something from the Outer Limits. As the curtain rises, one dancer lies lifeless on a rotating disk. Suddenly, a man wearing a shower cap drops from an elevated box. As the scene develops, several dancers interlock their bodies to form an assortment of odd-shaped machines. Arms, fingers, and legs move in an ingenious staccato fashion to simulate gears and cogs. While these fanciful contraptions pump, point and push, other dancers, hunched over like monkeys, attempt to communicate with furious waving gestures that go unnoticed.

PRECISE MOVEMENT and clever choreography make the visual tableau in Walklyndon equally effective. In this lampoon of walking styles, the pacing is so sharp that the dancers give the feeling of a busy street corner in New York. Stern businessmen too pressed to shake hands, matrons walking their pets, friends out for a breath of air, all parade by. The theme grows more intriguing as walkers begin to bump into each other, scramble to avoid a collision, or walk over each other. In this dance, the facial expressions add such personality to the gaits themselves that the piece borders on mime.

The abrupt movements that work so well in Anaendrom and Walklyndon seem somewhat out of place in the more serious dances. Terra Cotta is a dance at deux in which a couple begin mirroring each other's movements and finally dance ensemble. Jerky steps detract from the intimacy established by otherwise graceful and romantic poses as the bodies join. But even in these dancers, the originality and diversity of the choreography sustains a great deal of excitement.

What makes Pilobolus more engaging than other well-trained, well-rehearsed troupes is their unique approach to dance that integrates elements of gymnastics, acrobatics, mime and acting. The ability to blend and unravel their bodies in controlled and interesting ways adds a special energy to their movements, most evident when the entire group dances. Moreover, Pilobolous shows how much the human form can communicate both thematically and visually without complicated sets, elaborate costumes or even words.