7/25/14 7:22 AM“American Me:” New Take On Old Cliches | See Chicago Dance

Page 1 of 3http://seechicagodance.com/headline/“american-me”-new-take-old-cliches

Share Support Us !(/support)

"

(/)

Email Signup (/email-

signup)

Powered By Audience Architects (http://audiencearchitects.com)

“American Me:” New Take On Old Cliches

Apr 21, 2014 | By Lynn Colburn Shapiro

There’s lots to like about “American Me,” Striding Lion Performance Group’s playful take onAmerican cultural cliches. Apple pie, baseball, and white picket fences, consumerism,obcession with beauty, and the maniacal pursuit of identity were all rides on the merry-go-round of Annie Arnoult Beserra’s choreographed discourse on everything from self-reliance toguns and violence, playing at Links Hall through April 27.

All Types

View full calendar &additional search options.

Enter Email Go

Connect with Us Via: #(https://twitter.com/SeeChicagoDance)

$(https://www.facebook.com/seeandtakechicagodance)

%(https://www.youtube.com/user/seechicagodance)

See & Take

S M T W T F S

1(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-01)

2(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-02)

3(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-03)

4(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-04)

5

6

7(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-07)

8(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-08)

9(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-09)

10(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-10)

11(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-11)

12(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-12)

13(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-

13)

14(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-

14)

15(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-

15)

16(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-

16)

17(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-

17)

18(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-

18)

19(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-

19)

20(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-20)

21(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-21)

22(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-22)

23(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-23)

24(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-24)

25(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-25)

26(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-26)

27(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-27)

28(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-28)

29(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-29)

30(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-30)

31(http://seechicagodance.com/events/day/2014-07-31)

(/events)

Stay Connected

Advertisements

Search

(/hot-deals)

HotDeals

(/events)

UpcomingEvents

(/class)

Take aClass

(/headlines)

Headlines

(http://seechicagodance.com/event/long-and-forgotten-winter)

Adve

rtis

emen

ts

July

(http://seechicagodance.com/events-

calendar/month/2014-07)

(http://seechicagodance.com/headline/%E2%80%9Camerican-

me%E2%80%9D-

new-

take-

old-

cliches?

mini=2014-

06)

(http://seechicagodance.com/headline/%E2%80%9Camerican-

me%E2%80%9D-

new-

take-

old-

cliches?

mini=2014-

08)

Striding Lion's "American Me"

7/25/14 7:22 AM“American Me:” New Take On Old Cliches | See Chicago Dance

Page 2 of 3http://seechicagodance.com/headline/“american-me”-new-take-old-cliches

“American Me” is peppy and engaging from the get-go. Complimentary vintage bottles of Cokeat the entrance and the 50’s jukebox-corner-diner decor set the tone, and American pop musickept an upbeat pace for a non-stop hour of surprises and fun.

The first thing to like about “American Me” is the originality of the choreography, a delightfullyenergetic mesh of modern forms, social dance vernacular, tumbling, and even ballet. Iespecially enjoyed Beserra’s bold, expansive movement style, her inventive use of every inch ofthe Links Hall space, and the ever-changing configurations of couple interactions. The sixStriding Lion dancers gave Beserra‘s work a fresh, natural and technically polishedperformance.

Part of the fun of “American Me” was the element of surprise; you never knew what to expectnext--maybe a scene, a theater game, a purely movement sequence, or a danced “lecture” withspoken text. For instance, “The Game Of Life” plunged the dancers into a theatrical scene withscripted dialogue, with the dancers suddenly seated around a table playing the board game,“Life.” The game devolves into a potlach-like frenzy that morphs into increasingly stylizedmovement. A potentially heavy-handed and old-hat message--materialism in excess drivesAmerican values and relationships--was mitigated by theatrical build and the humor of thescene.

Jeff Hancock’s whimsical denim patchwork cutaways and red, white, blue and yellow tunics andleggings enhanced Beserra’s light-hearted circus of self-examination. The piece didn’t take itselfso seriously as to run aground on didactic agendas embodied in some of the texts, choosinginstead to make its point with just enough tongue-in-cheek to be entertaining. Never mind afew iffy choices or missed targets, and forget that the performance had only peripheralconnection to the director’s program notes. Beserra found a fast pace and catchy rhythm forthe short segments that was easy to take, especially with Alex Benjamin’s excellent sounddesign so skillfully integrated into the structure of the work.

While the segments built in intensity and the stakes of relationships got higher, the ending letthe air out of the whole venture with a sigh. The piece deserves more. Still, while the ideasbehind “American Me” aren’t new, Besera’s fresh take on them and Striding Lion’s energeticdelivery are infectious and worth watching.

Lynn Colburn Shapiro

April 21, 2014

Comments

(http://danceforlifechicago.org/)

(http://www.chicagomusic.org/)

Facebook social plugin

Also post on Facebook Posting as AnnieArnoult (Change)

Comment

Add a comment...

7/25/14 7:22 AM“American Me:” New Take On Old Cliches | See Chicago Dance

Page 3 of 3http://seechicagodance.com/headline/“american-me”-new-take-old-cliches

(/)

Powered By:

(http://audiencearchitects.com)

Connect Via #(https://twitter.com/SeeChicagoDance)$(https://www.facebook.com/seeandtakechicagodance)%(https://www.youtube.com/user/seechicagodance)

Site LinksAbout Us (/about-us)Chicago Dance Directory(/directory)Contact (/contact)Privacy Policy (/privacy-policy)

CommunityIndustry Login (/user)Advertise (/community/advertise)List Your Event (/community/list-your-event)Sell Tickets/Hot-Deals (/community/sell-tickets)Get Reviewed (/community/get-reviewed)

Copyright 2014, See Chicago Dance, All Rights Reserved.Site Design & Development by Sandbox Studio, Chicago(http://www.sandboxstudio.net)

Email Us(mailto:carissa@audiencearchitects.com)(312) 846-6357 (tel:+3128466357)

70 East Lake StreetChicago, IL 60601(https://goo.gl/maps/87N5e)