Upside Dance Co. Perform a Site Specific Work "Same but Different"

The Upside Dance Co. under the direction of Tanya Knippelmeir performed several of her choreographed pieces in a progressively shifting spaces at the Harmon House Hotel in Healdsburg. The audience was welcomed onto the garden patio with chilled rose wine and then briefed on the company's history and instructed on the program's orientation.  The first works on the program were light and airy pieces.  The dancers donned in all white leggings and tops used flapping hands at the hips and prancing steps giving a loftiness and whimsy to the dance. The group then moved onto the garage space where the darker setting and closed space lent itself to a dance with more angst and gravitas. The dancers now clad in black leotards seemed to pulsate from the wall.  Knippelmeir performed a solo at the end of "Unseated." Dressed in a long black and white striped dress and using a spoke back chair, she moved gracefully while remaining anchored to the chair. The staging had moved closer to the opening of the structure bringing in more natural light and airiness. The program's title "Same but Different" proved schematic as the choreography coalesced the  various works. A prevalence of accentuated arms, backward arches and extending legs were utilized.  And, a mirroring modern aesthetic and techniques flowed throughout.  Two theatrical interludes were performed in tight enclosed, outdoor spaces while the audience watched from inside the hotel through windows. This clever use of both indoor/outdoor space provided a voyeuristic vantage. This was suited to looking in on a dinner party in "The Table". The dancers in "Fish Tank" turned the tables on the audience by peering out at them. The final pieces pulled the entire company together along with its director/choreographer on the top floor of the hotel.  Knippelmeir began the piece with another solo aided by a chair prop. Several dancers in the ensemble also used chairs echoing back to a suspended, floating affect. The dancers all moved with passion and fluidity. Any minor collisions were met with aplomb.  Amongst the dancers there were a few spotted whose technical skills and artistry stood out. Complimentary cocktails or mocktails were served just across the hall on the rooftop lounge; a lovely cap on an exuberant and interactive dance experience.