8 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, March 27, 1995
'Still / Here' thoughtful and inspiring dance
By Kimberly Braton
For the Daily
Thepremiere of Bill T. Jones' "Still/
Here" was definitely not your average
dance concert- not that there is such a
thing - but the performance this past
weekend definitely gave the audience
their money's worth and then some.
The full-length evening work was an
inspiring and thought-provoking mul-
timedia experience in which Mr. Jones
posed his audience with several diffi-
cult questions. What does it mean to be
told the cancer has spread? Whatdoes it
mean to know that you are afflicted
with the HIV virus? These questions
and many others surround the issue of
dealing with mortality in the face of a
terminal illness. Hence, the title of the
piece is "Still/flere."
The first part of the dance, "Still,"
began with the ten company members
dressed in pastel costumes. Surpris-
ingly, the dancers were radically dif-
ferent in shapes and sizes and this
variation in physicality made the piece
even more exciting. The dancers re-
cited words from the victims oftermi-
nal illnesses and the movement was
based on the victims' contributions
made in the survival workshops Bill
T. Jones offers worldwide. Huge
k:- Bill T.
Jones/
Arnie Zane
Dance Company
Power Center for
the Performing Arts
March 24 and March 25, 1995
monitors accompanied the dancers
and displayed images from these out-
reach workshops, while the music
consisted of an original composition
by Kenneth Frazelle and was sung by
legendary folk singer Odetta.
The use of dramatic red and blue
lighting continually built the intensity.
But the special effects were really no
match for the amazing abilities of the
dancers themselves. There were only a
few times when not all dancers were on
stage. This tremendous display of en-
ergy left the audience exhausted, won-
dering how the dancers could maintain
this level of intensity throughout the
evening. One does not need to be a
diehard modern dance fan to recognize
the technical excellence and dynamic
artistry exhibited by the performers.
"Still/Here" leaves one with aprofound
appreciation for this visceral art form.
The second section, "Here," pri-
marily focused on the celebration of
life and the encouragement to live
each day to the fullest and not wait
until an illness strikes. As Jones said
in a lecture / demonstration given at
the University's Dance Department
earlier this week, "the piece is made
to sound the warning bell."
The dancers were dressed in vi-
brant shades of red and were accom-
panied by a composition with dia-
logue by Vernon Reid, formerly of
Living Colour. The dialogue came
from the survival workshops and at
times had a slightly humorous twist.
The dancers proved themselves to be
athletes, gymnasts and "defiers of
gravity." As one of the victims said,
"I'm stepping in and out of reality."
Well, audience members nearly had
to pinch themselves when they saw
the unbelievable movements that the
dancers were executing.
The piece ended with the dancers
still moving in a circle as the curtain
came down, signifying that life goes
on. As the performance's conclusion
asked, "What's the last thing you see
and the last thing you say?" "Awe-
some," I say, "'Still/Here' was awe-
some."
0.
0
'Still/Here' reflects the Intense experiences of the terminally
'Claiborne' slow, stupid and dull
By Joshua Rich
Daily Arts Writer
"Dolores! Dolores! Come on out,
you bitch," scream a gang of pickup
truck-riding teenagers in "Dolores
Claiborne," the latest film adaptation
of a Stephen King novel. Unlike King
stories of the past, however, this movie
lacks both the horror and suspense
that have made the so-called King of
Horror such a popular draw at book-
stores and box offices alike.
Instead, "Dolores Claiborne"
is a slow-paced, melodramatic
character study of a stubborn old
woman who constantly finds her-
self amidst a torrent of problems.
Set against the dark, colorless
winter of a small Maine resort
island, the film lacks color not
only in its photography but also in
its exaggerated characterization
and banal plot. Although the audi-
ence is initially led to believe that
it will be a genuine thriller, our
interest slowly dissipates as the
predictable story unravels and its
annoying unsolved mystery re-
mains.
Haunted by the mysterious
death of her alcoholic and abusive
father 20 years before, Selena St.
George (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is
summoned back to her home town
on an island off the coast of Maine.
Her grouchy mother, Dolores
Claiborne (Kathy Bates) has, as
was the case when her father died,
been accused of causing the ap-
parently accidental death of her
crippled and cranky employer,
Vera Donovan.
Tracked by the pesky local sher-
iff (Christopher Plummer), Selena
and Dolores - reunited after 18
years - spend the rest of the film
fighting with the law and between
themselves, as they try to remember
the past and let the truth emerge.
Thus, the film is mostly composed
of flashback sequences of times
when the evil father (David
Strathairn) abused them and Dolores
struggled to earn a living as the head
Dolores
Claiborne
Directed by Taylor Hackford
with Kathy Bates
and Jennifer Jason Leigh
At Briarwood and Showcase
maid of Vera's pristine household.
Immediately problematic is the
abundance of complex characters.
Even though director Taylor
Hackford centers the movie
around Dolores and her troubles,
it too frequently gets tied-up in
the psychosis or antics of other
members of the cast. While
Dolores remains the film's cen-
tral figure, her importance to the
plot is diluted by the presence of
so many other characters. As a
result, "Dolores Claiborne"
emerges as an unconnected mish-
mash of personalities who spend
the duration of the movie behav-
ing in ways irrelevant to its cen-
tral plot.
Further, the plot not only has
no reliable characters upon which
it may be carried, but it remains
slow, purposeless and stupid. King
uses domestic violence as both a
launching pad and a scapegoat for
all the traumas which occur within
the story. Consequently, he re-
duces this very real American
problem to the levels of a cheap
horror movie device. This makes
a mockery of any woman who has
attempted to oppose spousal
abuse. Left with impotent charac-
ters and a story line that is neither
interesting nor original, the audi-
ence must sit through a long and
meandering movie that never de-
livers its prescribed thrills.
Unlike her thrilling Academy
Award-winning role in "Misery,"
Bates fails to make Dolores both the
frightening housewife and sympa-
thetically troubled woman that the
aforementioned Annie Wilkes was.
In fact, the only truly scary charac-
ter in this film is the father - as
supplied by talented character actor
Strathairn who sparkles in light of
the fact that he usually plays kind
and gentle men. These two are sup-
ported by a cast of actors who give
average performances - most no-
tably the usually substandard Leigh
- and who repeatedly annoy us
with their artificial melodrama and
overstated New England accents.
But what lingers most in this
weak cinematic concoction of blood
and tears is a line repeated three
times in the film. Attempting to en-
capsulate the meaning of what hap-
pens to her, Dolores says, "Some-
times being a bitch is all a woman
has to hold on to." True enough.
And yet after considering the now
tarnished resume of the talented
Bates, I only wish she had a decent
movie in her grasp as well.
The Holy Cows
Get Along
Big Pop
The Midwestern countryside
brings forth its own brand of folk-
hero musician who confidently steps
out of the wide-open plain, sure of
self and even surer that the world is
out there to conquer (if, sometimes,
the world is the closest bar, then that's
just fine with him). From John
Mellencamp to the Replacements,
artists can comfortably develop their
own sound according to their own
world view of the country land -
freed from the constraints of the New
York art world and the Los Angeles
showbiz glitz.
Chelsea's Holy Cows sound so
certain of who they are, having
struggled through the Ann Arbor
music scene for over five years - all
the while breathing that particular
midwestern, working-class air-that
their songs become possessed with
unflinching power and confident
subtlety. The band's third album, "Get
Along," sounds ready for Superstars
Inc., not Big Pop Records, a fresh
indie label out of Philadelphia.
The Replacements is the obvi-
ous reference point in extracting the
origins of the Holy Cows' sound.
But the Replacements have always
been viewed as a truly gifted
songwriter in Paul Westerberg, who
had three other capable backers. The
Holy Cows, however, are a strict
unit, and their sound becomes im-
bued with more focus or direction.
From the catchy, country tap of
"Welcome Back" and "Hate the
Phone" to the tilting and whirling
rockers "Wait a Minute" and
"Through the Keyhole," this stun-
ning record typifies what's so bril-
liant about growing up in the Mid-
west - peace and quiet unless you
want to make noise, and then, damn
it, you'll make your shouts heard!
The Holy Cows are ready to graze
upon the pastures of America. Get
along and prepare yourself.
- Matt Carlson
Quicksand
Manic Compression
Island
Minimalism in rock sounds easy
to do but is rarely accomplished. While
other bands overdub and sample their
albums to a sonic death, Quicksand
gets more effect from a simple bass
line or a great guitar riff,
Imagine Nirvana's ability to do
start/stop, slow-fast-slow song struc-
tures without the overproduction, and
it approximates the melodic hardcore
on Quicksand's newest release. Credit
producers Wharton Tiers and legend-
ary punk knob-twiddler Don Fury for
allowing the band to let the songs
work on theirown, instead of blowing
it up to a Def Leppard-goes-hardcore
level (hello, Butch Vig).
Hey, it's moody and dark in their
low-fi world. Every song seethes neu-
rosis and relationship-gone-wrong
angst, from the line "trust, bliss, date,
faith, hate share it all with you" in
"Blister" to "I trust new friends just
like I can throw them" on "East 3rd
St." Unlike Helmet, (who the band is
unfairly compared to) Quicksand has7
a consistent lyrical bent that makes
them muchmore interesting on repeat
listens.
Oh yeah, and it rocks. Not in that
Ted Nugent kind of way, and aren't
we all thankful for that? More in a
cerebral way. Thoughtful moshing.
- Kirk Miller
Bruce Springsteen
Greatest Hits
Columbia
Released partially to capitalize on
the success of "Streets of Philadel-
phia" and partially to buy Bruce
Springsteen some time as he records
his new album, "Greatest Hits"
doesn't answer any of the lingering
questions about whether the Boss'
glory days are behind him. Sadly, it *
seems to suggest that, at the very
See RECORDS, page 9
Student Organization Rccounts Service
[SOBS] General Fund AccountrConversion
Beginning September 1, 1995, and running through September 30,
1996 SOAS General Fund (GF) Accounts will undergo a conversion. As a result
of this conversion, student organizations can either choose to convert their GF
account to what is now referred to as a "University Fund" account, or to close
the GF account and remove the funds. All accounts remaining after September
30, 1996 will automatically be converted into an SOAS Account (UF).
Open forums will be held to provide information. and answer questions on:
" March 30.1995.at 3pm-4pm,.Michigan Onion [Wolverine Room]
" Rpril.11, 1995.at 4pm-Spm. Michigan Union [Anderson 8 Room]
" September 25,1995at4pm-Spm,.Michigan Union (Wolverine Room]
" September 28,1995. at 3pm-4pm. Michigan Union [Wolverine Room]
If you have any questions, please feel free to stop by the SOAS office
or contact an SOAS Representative at 763-5767. Our office is open Monday
through Friday, 8am-5pm. We will be happy to serve you!
01
HISTORY
CONCENTRATORS - SENIORS
Sign-up for Fall Term 1995 Colloquium
will be Monday, March 27,11-5 P.M.,
in 4633 Haven Hall.
(Placement by seniority; No need for early arrival.)
Quicksand, being sucked in by their own magnetism.
I
Please return
March 31
the Daily
420 Mayna
48109. Resu
will be printed
the April
by best restaurants/bars for...
coffee
burgers
to frenh fries
at hot *_ _
wipos
cheap beer_________________
rd, bar drinks
ice cream/frozen yogurt
chipati___
Its sandwiches
subs ________ ____________
in coo,
middle eatfood
13 chnee food ___________
knr~JIJUann ____________________
men's clothing
women's clothing -
thrift/used clothing
fratemity to party with
sorority to party with
coop
ugliest building
Are you upset
because your
teenage girl
dates 'much
_._ Y A
9-
r
bicycle sales/repair
boonks
textbooks -
used books_
haircut
bmhigroo
lecture ha l
first-run theater
video store
liquor/party store_______________
photocopying
sporting good_____________
groceries
!{st
travel agency
magazines
michigan items (sweats, mugs, etc.)
best (and worst) entertainment
local band
dancing spot
concert in the past year
radio station_ _____
place to go when in an altered state______
best (and worst) dating stuff
place to meet amate
pick-up line
I
korean tooo