Power of community drives dance

The power found within the community is the theme of internationally successful choreographer Eric Bean’s upcoming show Through The Looking Glass.

The Bermudian opens the ‘world premieres’ of his two-part show this Friday at the Earl Cameron
Theatre at City Hall.

The show is a kind of continuation of his last show Return to Paradise which dealt with love and loss as it was affected by violence.

Speaking to the Bermuda Sun, Bean explained: “This time around instead of doing one show I decided to break it up into two different works. The first is called The Beginning and it looks at community and the power found within the community.

“This part has a tribal feel and an earthy, world feel and the second half of the show is the title of the actual show itself Through the Looking Glass and that one is a little bit more recent and current. It feels almost apocalyptic to me.

“This is looking more at the individuals and their relationship with one another to create this type of community environment. 

“When I did Return to Paradise and I looked at love and loss as it was affected by violence. With this show I started getting an idea about taking a look at your past and you know the saying you have to look at your past to know where you are going. Its like the past is the looking glass — your window to your future. It was like I was trying to look where we might end up. United we stand divided we fall...”

The show is broken into to two parts — The Beginning is about 40 minutes long then Through The Looking Glass is about 30 minutes.

Featuring eight dancers, including Bean, the show covers contemporary dance with a mix of ballet, modern jazz and ethnic dance. Among the dancers are Bermudians Anna Clifford, Dawnita Smith, Dominique Willis, Fredrika Hill, Shaydrina Hassell and Amani Walker, as well as overseas dancers Micah Geyer & Robert Tyler — both contemporaries at school Koresh Dance Company where Bean used to dance.

Asked where the inspiration for the new show came from, Bean said: “The end of Return to Paradise was so joyous and I though we need to start talking about it as a community and start uplifting each other. It has sadly come to my attention that we as Bermudians don’t know how to celebrate one another.

Celebrate each other

“Everybody is too busy worrying about their own as opposed to if you have done something great how can I celebrate you for that so that you in turn will celebrate someone else for doing something great. We all can benefit from that.

I always try and find a new way to express myself.  This one I feel like it is fun but is more artistically driven. It is going to cause an internal thought and dialogue.”

The music in this show will focus on classical and neo-classical including pieces by French composer Rene Aubry, Israeli-born composer Armand Amar as well as two original pieces by Ronen Koresh, artistic director of Koresh Dance School.

“They are really cool songs,” said Bean. “It is very driving, powerful music.”

The show is suitable for all ages though Bean said parts of the second half might be a little “dark” for children under 12-years-old.

“With this one it is very relatable because we are talking about community but where we start talking about the individual vs the community, that is where it starts to become a little more adult/mature in that aspect. Anyone who loves dance and movement will love this.” 

Through the Looking Glass

Where: Earl cameron Theatre City Hall

When: Friday, August 16, Saturday, August 17 at 7pm and Sunday August 18 at 8pm

Tickets: Available at City Hall box office or jariccodance.com, email [email protected] for box office times. General tickets are $30, patrons $50 and there are student and group rates.

Eric’s latest projects

- Bean has just moved from the Koresh Dance Company and moved to Las Vegas.

- He is in talks to work with Cirque Du Soleil — he is already one of the casted dancers in their hiring pool. He is looking to get involved in Love – The Beatles show in Las Vegas.

- In the meantime he is teaching classes at a couple of different dance studios who have offered him work.

- He is also in talks with University of Nevada Las Vegas about becoming an adjunct professor with them.

- A life goal: One of his life goals is to become part of  the creative team of a Cirque De Soleil Show and help them create a new work as a choreographer or artistic director.

Eric’s dancer/choreographer to watch:

James Waddell: Bean went to Civic Ballet’s performance and one of the choreographers who I was really proud of was James Wadell.
Bean said: “I have watched him grow up through Civic ( Ballet)and his choreography has come on leaps and bounds from where it was. You can tell that he has started to absorb the different influences that he is having while he is away and dancing professionally.
“He is really starting to take some of that material and making it his own. I think that the duet that he did was beautiful and there is something there he is going to be one to look out for.”