Debbie says:
On Saturday night, I went to ODC in San Francisco, to see a show called “Underserved II,” for which eight choreographers prepared original pieces to pop music. (This show has a bittersweet history; the first one was invented at the last minute in 2005 when a major dance performer had to cancel a show because of the reduced support available from the California Arts Council, and the ODC theater chose not to let the theater go dark because of the cancellation.)
At any rate, this year’s show was excellent, and the pop music made for an upbeat mood. The last piece, however, was the reason to blog it here:
When I looked at the program, I couldn’t help but notice the choreographer’s note for Melissa Hudson’s “Perfect” danced to “Strangelove Addiction” by Supreme Beings of Leisure. It says, “Eat bread. It tastes great.” Not a standard choreographer’s note …
The dance consists of a woman (I think the choreographer) at the back of the stage in front of a mirror, obviously worrying about the size of her ass and her belly, trying on clothes, looking at herself from various angles, patting parts that stick out, and throwing outfit after outfit aside. Interestingly enough, though she’s by no means fat, she does not have a conventional dancer’s hyperskinny body, and her belly and ass do stick out some.
Shortly after she starts this process, six other women dancers come out and take over the front of the stage, leaping and bounding in pleasure, and throwing hunks of (real) bread and rolls at one another. They also have some byplay with a laundry basket full of clean clothes. By the end of the song, the stage is covered with bits of bread, the six dancers are winding down their enthusiasm, and the central figure steps to the front of the stage, picks up a piece of bread, takes a large bite, and winks at the audience!
“Eat bread. It tastes great.”
Hudson is doing a show in February called “Dessert First,” which she describes as “an innovative fusion of contemporary dance art and gourmet food, with each dance tastefully paired with a gourmet hors d’oeuvre.” Watch this space for a review; I’ll be there.