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Emily McNeely
Performance Reviews
Modern/Contemporary
Aldous Theater
United States
New York City
New York
Brooklyn, NY

Megan Bascom's kNEW/kNOW Thought-provoking

by Emily McNeely
April 24, 2014
Aldous Theater
118 North 11th St, 3rd floor
Brooklyn, NY 11249
718-599-3577
At one point during the performance of Megan Bascom & Dancers' kNEW/kNOW, all of the lights went out.

On stage, invisible, one dancer called out what we were all thinking: "It's dark! It's dark!" And gradually, the lights returned, a string of small bulbs hanging from the ceiling.

The light bulbs had been there before the dancers were, twinkling as the audience entered Triskelion Arts' intimate Aldous Theater in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They seemed to echo the hipster cool of the neighborhood – whimsical, as though they were hanging over a back garden on a warm spring evening. I was charmed. I wanted to be a part of what was going on underneath those lights.

While the dancing emulated the optimistic twinkling of the light bulbs, Bascom's choreography also reached something deeper. Grounded, focused movement interspersed with spoken word made for a dynamic performance.

The use of spoken word didn't just articulate what the audience was thinking, but also gave them something to think about. One particularly engaging dialogue even touched upon modern linguistics. One dancer stood in front of all the rest, who swayed in a repeated pattern behind him, and talked about trees. He invited the audience to wonder about knowing the word and knowing the actual thing, if the word and the concept could ever be truly united.

While the spoken word was engaging, the dances alone would have been compelling enough. A haunting duet for two men was a flowing and impressive display of calm athleticism. Group movement was intricate, as patterns were established, repeated, and broken.

The movement seemed to have been largely derived from improvisation. In the program, Bascom was careful to list her dancers as "collaborators", and on stage, the company displayed an impressive cohesion and artistic unity.

Staging kNEW/kNOW at Triskelion was an insightful choice. The small Aldous Theater provided a space where the dancers' voices could be truly heard and seen. I could watch as their eyes met, as their movements collided. I felt very much a part of their experience.

Bascom has put forth an impressive and unique movement style. Through distinctive movement, lighting, and dialogue, kNEW/kNOW reached an exciting and thought-provoking place.
(from left-right) Larry Daniels, Ben Wolk, Mary Madsen, Rosie DeAngelo, Megan Bascom, Aaron R. White in Megan Bascom & Dancers' kNEW kNOW.

(from left-right) Larry Daniels, Ben Wolk, Mary Madsen, Rosie DeAngelo, Megan Bascom, Aaron R. White in Megan Bascom & Dancers' kNEW kNOW.

Photo © & courtesy of Sam Polcer


Megan Bascom & Dancers in kNEW kNOW (center: Rosie DeAngelo).

Megan Bascom & Dancers in kNEW kNOW (center: Rosie DeAngelo).

Photo © & courtesy of Sam Polcer


Ben Wolk, Larry Daniels, Mary Madsen, Stephanie Mas, Rosie DeAngelo, Megan Bascom, Aaron R. White, & Sammy Donahue, in Megan Bascom & Dancers' kNEW kNOW.

Ben Wolk, Larry Daniels, Mary Madsen, Stephanie Mas, Rosie DeAngelo, Megan Bascom, Aaron R. White, & Sammy Donahue, in Megan Bascom & Dancers' kNEW kNOW.

Photo © & courtesy of Sam Polcer


Megan Bascom, Sammy Donahue, & Ben Wolk in Megan Bascom & Dancers' kNEW kNOW at Triskelion Arts Aldous Theater.

Megan Bascom, Sammy Donahue, & Ben Wolk in Megan Bascom & Dancers' kNEW kNOW at Triskelion Arts Aldous Theater.

Photo © & courtesy of Sam Polcer

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