San Francisco Performances is one of San Francisco's most under-recognized arts organizations, an arts nonprofit with a board of trustees that specializes in featuring high-caliber artists and making their work accessible to the public. The group has a long track record presenting some of the world's best dance companies in San Francisco, and this week they continue their mission by bringing Nacho Duato's Compania Nacional de Danza to the Yerba Buena Center. The Spanish company will present two separate programs, both choreographed by Duato.
"Nacho Duato is one of the most celebrated and important choreographers in the world of contemporary dance," said San Francisco Performance president Ruth Felt. "This large, extraordinary company had never been to San Francisco, and when the opportunity presented itself, I was thrilled and determined to make it happen."
Compania Nacional de Danza was originally founded in 1979, and Duato became its artistic director/choreographer in 1990. Born in Valencia, he trained in London, Brussels and New York (Alvin Ailey American Dance Center) and began his professional career with Stockholm�s Cullberg Ballet. From there, Duato went to Nederlands Dans Theater, working under Jiri Kylian, who had a significant influence on his choreographic style. He spent several years being a choreographic journeyman, and his work is featured in the repertories of some of the world's most well-known dance companies, including Stuttgart Ballet, Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet. Duato's choreography is dynamic and theatrical, featuring polished choreography deeply rooted in the emotional experience.
The first program will be presented Wed. & Thurs., Feb. 20-21, featuring four pieces from Duato's repertory. Rassemblement , choreographed in 1990, is set to "songs from a voodoo cult that express the daily lives of slaves, and their longing for Africa." The piece Castrati was inspired by the Italian custom of castrating young tenors to prevent their voices from developing deeper with adulthood. These singers became the superstars of early classical music (1637 to the mid-18th century), and the practice lasted well into the 20th century (the last castrato died just a few decades ago). White Darkness features music by Karl Jenkins, and is a reflection on drug addiction, its effect on social behavior and the ability to communicate. Duato's goal was to create a piece that was "purely testimonial" but not provide a value judgment, creating "an invitation to reflect upon a subject matter both painful and controversial."
Organic rhythms
The second program will be presented Sat. night and Sun. afternoon, Feb. 23-24 (no show Friday), with three pieces of Duato's choreography. Gnawa (2007) is another cultural study, this time about the Moroccan descendents of black slaves, with a musical score that incorporates Spanish and North African sounds, and evokes the spirituality and organic rhythms of the Mediterranean. Por Vos Muero (1996) is a tribute to the important role that dance played in the social events of ancient Spain, incorporating music from the 15th and 16th centuries, and verse by poet Garcilaso de la Vega.
The final piece on the second program is Gilded Goldbergs (2006), a US premiere that uses Robin Holloway�s furiously paced adaptation of Bach�s iconic Goldberg Variations to showcase the musicality and elegance of Duato�s dancers. "Discovering Holloway�s adaptation of the Goldberg Variations allowed me to get past what I had always considered as the untouchable character of Bach�s original," said Duato. Adapting a masterpiece such as this could represent its rebirth, the work taking on a whole new dimension. "What Holloway does so well is to show his courage by placing creative freedom above and beyond the burden of history."
San Francisco Performances presents Compania Nacional de Danza at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., SF. Feb, 20-21, 23-24 (see www.performances.org for times). Tickets ($55-$35): (415) 392-2545.