Last night for Reba Fritz’s birthday we did something a little different. We went to see Echo’s Locations at Resource for improvised music and dance. For me it was an introduction to a new group and a new venue. Echo’s Locations is a group of five dancers (Lily Conforti, Colin Myles Edwards, Sara Karimi, Kendall Marit Kramer and José A. Luis), although there were only four last night; and four musicians (Ross Clowser, Dylan Hester, Ashley O’Neill Prado and Max Wanderman).
The music is experimental and ambient but controlled. They played well together. The sound was soothing with elements of interest and included traditional instruments (such as violin), playful instruments (such as bells) and synths and modifiers.
The dancers used the space well. They were very athletic with a stage presence. Each dancer had moments on center stage, dancing their soliloquy and moments dancing in pairs or all together.
The dancers and musicians are unified on stage. It didn’t feel like the music led the action, nor that the dance did. They were in sync, performing together. They felt well-rehearsed; so, while the performance was improvised it seemed to be building upon past sessions. They seemed comfortable with how segments of the performance might go, yet there was a freedom to lean in, lean out or go off the board. I am always amazed at the bravery and trust required in improv. I left the performance with an appreciation for the community building.
Resource is an intimate location with a lot of charm. It can accommodate 40 people for a seated event. It is like a storefront with a large window at the front. It feels like an old space with character but also bright, clean and welcoming. It is doors down from Open Eye Theater.
The room was set up with two rows of seats for audience members. Given the openness of the space and the collaborative nature of the performers, I might experiment with different seating. Group seats in ones, twos and fours around the room so that everyone has a front row seat – or only needs to lean over a friend for a better view.
Mostly Minnesota 