BWW Reviews: DANCE NOW at Joe's Pub – Dorothy, Annie, Maria Together

The last work of the night was Doug Elkins' "Fräulein Maria." The Sound of Music-inspired work begins with two female dancers, both dressed as Maria Rainer, meandering hurriedly through the audience to the stage, clad with their periwinkle dresses, straw hats, and oversized carpetbags. On stage the pair perform a playful and lively dance to "I Have Confidence in Me," in which the dancers seem to have more energy than they can contain, causing them to (gracefully) fall out of jumps and spoil their partnering. David Parker returns to the stage for the second number, a hilarious duet parodying "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." The strapping Donnell Oakley commands the stage, seducing Parker (who is wearing a dress). The duet triggers quite a few laughs from the audience, as Parker and Oakley find themselves in some compromising positions. Doug Elkins himself closes the show with his signature B-boy solo. But keeping in line with The Sound of Music theme, Elkins is dressed in a nun's habit and top rocks to the dramatic, operatic "Climb Every Mountain." A break-dancing nun - need I say more? I am not sure I will ever be able to watch the film version of The Sound of Music in the same way.

DANCE NOW's vision is to "focus on resourcefulness and creativity, discovering the new, renewing the old and reclaiming the vital role that dance plays in enriching our lives." Choreographers, Nicholas Leichter, David Parker, and Doug Elkins each fulfilled this vision by reviving traditional musical theatre stories for a contemporary crowd. Visit www.dancenownyc.org for a schedule of upcoming DANCE NOW events and performances.

Image 1
"Fraulein Maria"
Pictured: Donnell Oakley
Photo: Christopher Roesing

Image 2:
"The Whiz: Emerald City"
Pictured: Nicholas Leichter
Photo: Steven Schreiber

Image 3:
"Fraulein Maria"
Pictured: Doug Elkins
Photo: Yi-Chun Wu

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Mary Callahan recently performed in the Broadway workshop of Sugar Babies, in Riverside Theatre's Funny Girl, and as a backup dancer for pop singer, Lily Halpern. She is a graduate of Broadway Dance Center?s Professional Semester and is studying ?Writing for the Arts? at New York University. In addition to broadwayworld.com, Mary writes for Broadway Dance Center and the Verdon Fosse Estate. www.missmarycallahan.com