8A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 7, 1997
Dans Theater creates captivating show
By Stephanie Glickman
For the Daily
Nederlands Dans Theater II and III
defy all laws about dancers having just
one "prime" in their lives. Nederlands
Dans Theater II (NDT2), with dancers
from ages 17-22 and Nederlands Dans
Theater III (NDT3), with more mature
dancers over the age of 40, presented
equally breathtaking dance works at the
Power Center on Thursday and Friday
evenings.
In two different programs mixing
works of both groups, superhuman virtu-
osity merged with theatrical concepts to
showcase the uniqueness and strengths of
individual dancers. While works for
NDT2 were sexy and riveting for their
technical brilliance, dances performed by
NDT3 had an intellectual depth and med-
itative edge to them, reflecting the older
performers's years of life experience.
Jiri Kylian's "Un Ballo" opened the
Thursday night performance, showcas-
ing all 14 members of NDT2. Dancing
beneath rows of burning candles hang-
ing from above, the dancers alternated
between a single duct and seven simul-
taneous ones. The duets contained pas
de deux elements
with a contempo-
rary twist. The R I
movement, firmly Nede
rooted in ballet
vocabulary, was
always controlled
and precise, yet
Kylian's complex and rigorous partner-
ing, with its continuous spinning and
lifting, gave the choreography its wild
edge. The women were not typical bal-
lerinas being twirled and supported by
their male partners, rather they were
thrown off their centers and often pre-
cariously balanced on their partners.
The Power Center stage seemed too
small when the seven couples danced
together in flawless unison.
Idiosyncrasies and attention to detail
flavor Kylian's work. He has the uncom-
mon ability to pepper his dances with
EVIEW
rlands Dans
Theater
Power Center
April 3 & 4, 1997
moments, with
familiar images and
gestures in fresh,
non - gimm icky
ways. This surfaced
in "Un Ballo" as the
women moved like
puppets on strings,
or, at other
flexed feet and hands,
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they seemed like bugs about to prance.
Glimpses of recognizable gesture sur-
faced continually in Kylian's "Compass,"
a recent work for NDT3. Silent screams,
images of conversation, body builders,
praying, ballet exercises, and pendulums
occurred throughout the cryptic piece.
Signs of the familiar within a very
Two Nederlands Dans Theater performers e
ambiguous dance gave "Compass" much
of its appeal. Against Karlheinz
Stockhausen's minimalist score, the
dancers were controlled by higher forces,
often echoing the music's sounds with
their motions. They pulled and released
their tank tops as a pluck resounded in
Stockhausen's composition.
Concluding both evenings' perfor-
engage In a sultry scene.
mances, Paul Lightfoot's wild and sexu-
al quartet for NDT2, "Skew-Whiff," was
a whirlwind of difficult, sinuous move-
ment enhanced by crotch grabbing, belly
rubbing, and hip rolling. The precision
and dramatics that both casts gave to the
intricate choreography guaranteed that
NDT3 will have no trouble finding q
ified members in 20 years.
-. ~ exyNkia makes wa"
BsJi S hifti
By Julia Shih
Daily Arts Writer
"I am woman, hear me roar!" Peta
Wilson screams through body language
as her character, Nikita, annihilates the
bad guys in a fury of fists and blood.
Undoubtedly, this is one killing
machine that can bring down armies
with her bare hands - and look gor-
geous as she does it.
As one of the newer and more
promising series on the USA network,
"La Femme Nikita" is an hour of non-
stop, action-packed thrills. Based on the
1990 French movie of the same name
(also remade in 1993 as "The Point of
No Return"), "Nikita" picks up where
the movie left off.
The story behind this femme fatale
goes as follows: After being wrongly
accused of killing a cop, Nikita is
released from prison through a fake sui-
cide engineered by a mysterious agent
named Michael.
Forced into service by a clandestine
anti-terrorist
nization
"Section
Nikita is
orga-
titled
One,;'
trans-
R
La I
MI
formed into a high-
ly trained, lethal
agent whose pur-
pose is to fight
Peta Wilson stars as La Femme Nikita.
global terrorism. She is taught not only
how to fight, shoot and react in lethal
situations, but also how to be graceful,
sexy and seductive as well.
As Michael sends her on a variety of
dangerous missions, Nikita is often
faced with conflicts where her compas-
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are interested.
For applications, e-mail Rupa Patel at
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Twenty-five Code Juror positions are currently open and
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S TUIDMT (10VLP~tfl/IT
ves for USA
sion and morality butt heads with the
nature of her work. She often questions
whether her victims are truly deserving
of the fate that she is forced to bring
upon them, and resents feeling li1*
pawn in Section
One's games.
E V I E W These complica-
Femme Nikita tions with her con-
science, and her
USA stubborn adher-
day and Friday at 9 p.m. ence to them, not
only threaten to
botch Section One's operations, but also
encourage the termination of Nikita by
her ruthless boss.
"La Femme Nikita" is a fast-pa
show that delivers a new adventure
each week. And within each episode,
Nikita is faced with a new set of moral
and emotional dilemmas. Many of her
emotional dilemmas stem from
Michael (Roy Dupuis), from whom
Nikita desperately wants affection and
acceptance. Though he seems to gen-
uinely care for her, his mysterious past
makes him unable to return her af -
tion.
Like the old "Mission Impossible"
episodes we all miss so much, "Nikita"
provides many intriguing story lines
involving countless gadgets, which also
should please all James Bond fans.
Another one of the show's interesting
characters is Madeline (Alberta
Watson), who is the master strategist of
Section One. She concentrates on
Nikita's psychological developme~t
teaching her how to use her feminiw
as a deadly weapon.
Wilson, as Nikita, is appealing and
engaging. She gives her character a
three-dimensional feel,has she portrays;
a woman whose life is dictated by
Section One, but who refuses to give up
her individuality. She is incredible to
watch and establishes herself as a capa-
ble actress.
Nevertheless, "Nikita"'s lack f
depth doesn't take away from the '
that it's a whole lot of fun to watch,
With its bountiful thrills and superb act-
ing, "Nikita" should please anyone who
is in the need for some good, whole-
some, senseless violence.
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