HAVE YOURSELF A SW!NGIN’ LITTLE XMAS
Nimble and percussive feet, wild windmill arms, and bright brilliant smiles are abundant and infectious throughout A Very Sw!ng Out Holiday, running until December 15 at The Joyce. Created by Caleb Teicher with a collection of collaborators known as Braintrust, and produced by Joyce Theater Productions, the spirit-infusing event showcases an amalgamation of lindy hop and tap dance, creating a boisterous, jovial night. Accompanied by the Eyal Vilner Big Band upstage, twelve dancers evoke carefree, festive cheer with faces and bodies exuding an endearingly cheeky self-satisfaction.
Caleb Teicher
AJ Howard, Natasha Shevchenko
Director, choreographer, and dancer Caleb Teicher weaves improv and choreography together, creating solos, duets, and group pieces that mingle with the music in dynamic and expressive ways. That being said, Teicher and fellow dancers are not afraid to abandon the need for music altogether and indulge in various means of physical musical accompaniment. By tapping, clapping, stomping, and sliding, the dancers’ bodies become more than just instruments for movement. Completing an impressive and elaborate tap solo, Teicher trots on stage with arms bent as if the great dancemaker is actually a reindeer. Traversing the entire stage, Teicher transforms into a human drum, and it is delightful.
Nathan Bugh, Breonna Jordan, Natasha Shevchenko
Sean Vitale, Breonna Jordan
The comradery in the show is palpable as dancers cheer each other on in large circles and interact tenderly with the band behind them. Breonna Jorden toys with Eyal Vilner, the band leader and sax player, matching his tonality with her fast jumpy legs (Vilner also arranged and orchestrated the program). Like cat and mouse, the duo creates a feedback loop between music and movement; it no longer matters which came first or who wins — they end their chase in an embrace.
Brian Lawton, Brandon Barker, Imani Rousselle
Samantha Siegel, LaTasha Barnes, Natasha Shevchenko
The 8-piece band is remarkable and entirely deserves the thunderous applause they are given. The jazzy Christmas tunes sung by the radiant Imani Rousselle paired with dizzying sultry trumpets gave me goosebumps and I wished I could listen to them play forever. The band had transported me to a smoky underground jazz bar — all that was missing was a cocktail.
Samantha Siegel
Imani Rousselle, Nathan Bugh, LaTasha Barnes
The night continued with breakneck speed as the jittery ecstatic Samantha Siegel stormed the stage with various partners to boot. Jubilation exploded from her twists and turns, her center rock solid, as her lengthy limbs kicked up and out like bursts of confetti. In group sections, Latasha Barnes and Jennifer Jones flew over their partner’s heads, each lift as light and thrilling as the next.
Samantha Siegel, AJ Howard, Brandon Barker, Natasha Shevchenko
I was never worried about the dancers’ safety or felt they hadn’t been prepared for this cavalcade of joy. Their self-assured and relaxed professionalism is the greatest gift this season; what a relief to just sit back and enjoy. If you want to get tipsy on dance, attend Sw!ng Out, a show that is sure to leave you giddy, dizzy, and eager for more.
photos by Steven Pisano
A Very Sw!ng Out Holiday
The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue
ends on December 15, 2024
for tickets, visit Joyce
for more info or to book a show, visit Sw!ng Out
