Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/301152
Lifted, an evening of contemporary dance presented by the newly formed Sarasota International Dance Festival, did break the mold of most dance performances, as the pro- gram's solos and duets ignored theatricality for personal intense dancing. Drew Jacoby, a dramatic dancer who impressed Sarasota audiences in the past when the International Carreno Dance Festival debuted on the same stage, joined former Sarasota Ballet Director Robert de Warren in organizing this reinvention of the festival. The original manifesto of bringing to the Sarasota dance scene celebrated dance artists with edgy choreography remains the same. Lifted lived up to its promise. Jacoby, who is now a member of the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), appeared with her NDT partner, Madhi Walerski, in two duets choreographed by Walerski. Blink of an Eye, like most of the evening's cho- reography, explored relationships of people to themselves and others through intensely complex, isolated movements that began with familiar gestures and traveled through the nervous system and muscles of the individual dancers. Jacoby and Walerski are statuesque, strong dancers; it was fascinating to watch Lil Buck performs The Dying Swan at the 2011 Vail International Dance Festival. Image from DanseTrack LIL BUCK PROVIDES AN EXTRAORDINARY FINALE TO AN EVENING OF CHARISMATIC PERFORMANCES A FESTIVAL OF INTENSE ENERGY By Elinor Rogosin A&E Writer