"...Then came Haley Andrews’ 2,190-Day Transition, a wonderfully audacious duet study on “the inability to address toxicity” (as explained in the introduction to the piece). A sense of toxicity began right out of the gate, with one dancer physically manipulating the other like a doll. 

Also clear right away were the easeful, yet crystal clear movement signatures of the duet partners (Andrews and Fiona Kirkland). Their movement was gestural and somewhat internal, but the vocabulary expanded in size and energy as the piece progressed. 

That included memorably athletic and strong partnering – reflecting many contemporary choreographers’ interest in leaping outside dance’s traditional gender norms. That’s something I’ve truly enjoyed seeing more and more these days. More internal gesture and manipulation of psychical shaping remained, however – a smooth and cohesive blend of diverse qualities of movement. It was all fair game. 

Through it all, whether internal or highly athletic, the duet partners remained highly attuned to each other. Structures of formations and movement vocabulary took shape, and then repeated – along with recurrent patterns in the score (from Radiohead). It all reflected cyclical patterns, and being stuck in those: days and days, months and months, years and years, of a toxic relationship continuing. 

The ending felt just as truthful to toxic relationships. All of a sudden, one dancer (who had been physically manipulated all along) suddenly changed her presence to something much more self-assured, and then walked off stage. Yet, the one who had manipulated her continued moving just as she had, presumably to do the same to another. I was struck by the poignancy of this illustration of something all too common in interpersonal relationships, an illustration in movement that I won’t soon forget..."

 

See full article here

By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.