Mark Morris Dance Group (BAM)

We almost let fatigue, tight schedules, and bad weather keep us home. I'm so glad we braved the chilly rain. The performance was enchanting and well worth grading exams down and back to Brooklyn.

The evening opened with "Behemoth," a dance without music, without sound, except the sound of the dancers' feet on the stage. By stripping dance bare of aural elements, the performance foregrounds how much we depend upon music to help us understand and interpret dance. Without the musical component, each moment felt independent of all those before and after. Ultimately, I found myself in awe of the dancers' ability to remain hold the performance together without any musical cues.

The next piece, "Looky," was much less somber, more playful. Though much later than "Hard Nut," I was repeatedly reminded of that parody. (I am very intrigued by Kyle Gann's "Studies for Disklavier.")

Finally, the world premier of "Socrates," set of Erik Satie's cantata, "Socrate," was spellbinding in its elegance and profundity.

Highly Recommended.