Dance: Jasmyn Fyffe’s Interlock

Dance: Jasmyn Fyffe’s Interlock

15 March 2012 No Comments

By Anya Wassenberg

Jasmyn Fyffe Dance presents Interlock
A DanceWorks Co-Works Series Event
Performances continue to March 17, 2012
Winchester Theatre, Toronto

Jasmyn Fyffe is emerging as one of Toronto’s most interesting dancer/choreographers and Interlock, a DanceWorks Series Event, is more proof of her talents.

The evening features six works, among them the premiere of uncover a solo dance created for Fyffe by Toronto choreographer Karen Kaeja. It is dramatically lit and begin rather ingeniously on an air mattress as it’s inflating; the noise the only accompaniment to Fyffe’s movements. The timbre of the sound changes oddly with her movements; it’s strange – but effective. Fyffe has a powerful and expressive presence on stage, always watchable. At the end of the solo piece, she sinks back into the mattress as it begins to deflate.

Fyffe choreographed or co-choreographed all the pieces with the exception of that solo, and her work hits the right notes both artistically and in terms of sheer entertainment value. The pieces have moments of athleticism and high energy. However, Fyffe is also not afraid of more contemplative elements and moments of stillness, using the shapes of postures and bodies along with movement.

Crumpled Juxtaposition is an intriguing duo piece by dancer/co-choreographers Fyffe and Kyra Jean Green. They make a striking pair in a dance that was inspired by commonalities they discovered in their choreographic language, including a fluid quality and crumpling motions.

The  performance ends with the crowd pleasing Pulse, a riff on the romantic music from 50s and 60s, including The Flamingos’ I Only Have Eyes For You and other songs by the Shirelles, Percy Sledge and Nina Simone. The dance begins with a bespeckled, sweater-vested crooner and develops into a lip-synching dance party with members of the audience on stage.

As both a dancer and choreographer, Jasmyn Fyffe’s work is strong and compelling. She’s a young artist whose body of work is developing in a style all her own.