Deborah Goffe's Dancing Exhibits Elegance, Power
Lauren Turlik
Issue date: 10/18/05 Section: Arts
Goffe's dance was captivating enough, but then she added her voice. As she moved from high in the air to low on the floor, she told a story. Her voice was calm and did not show an ounce of fatigue. Then she began to sing. Her song was as delicate as the way she brushed her legs and swayed her arms.
The rest of Goffe's performance only impressed us more. Her background was a series of films she directed, starring herself. The solo became a duet with an image of herself: a film of her dancing on a pedestal in an antique kimono played behind her. The two dances were different but complimented each other so well that the audience watched her live version and caught the film from the corners of their eyes.
Now, if you are able to imagine the complexity and grace of her performance, you may wonder what the musical accompaniment was. The recorded music varied from Bjork to Bach, from "Born Free" to nature sounds. But perhaps the most amazing thing was that even when she danced to silence, it seemed as if the silence was a song of its own.
Goffe's work was autobiographical: "All the bases of growing up and making your way in the world are covered...in one way or another." The specific events that inspired the various dances were unclear, but it did not matter. What mattered were the movements and the emotions that came through from them. As in all dance, it is a waste of time if the audience has to struggle to understand a piece. Instead, viewers should spend their time appreciating the dance.
Needless to say, Deborah Goffe is truly an amazing performer. Her company, Scapegoat Garden, will premiere a new work "Studies in Empathy" in April. This new piece draws on the characters from Sophocles' "Antigone." Her company will also be performing in the fall show "35 Years of Dance" on November 18th in the Austin Arts Center. For more information about Deborah Goffe and her company, Scapegoat Garden, go to scapegoatgarden.org.
The rest of Goffe's performance only impressed us more. Her background was a series of films she directed, starring herself. The solo became a duet with an image of herself: a film of her dancing on a pedestal in an antique kimono played behind her. The two dances were different but complimented each other so well that the audience watched her live version and caught the film from the corners of their eyes.
Now, if you are able to imagine the complexity and grace of her performance, you may wonder what the musical accompaniment was. The recorded music varied from Bjork to Bach, from "Born Free" to nature sounds. But perhaps the most amazing thing was that even when she danced to silence, it seemed as if the silence was a song of its own.
Goffe's work was autobiographical: "All the bases of growing up and making your way in the world are covered...in one way or another." The specific events that inspired the various dances were unclear, but it did not matter. What mattered were the movements and the emotions that came through from them. As in all dance, it is a waste of time if the audience has to struggle to understand a piece. Instead, viewers should spend their time appreciating the dance.
Needless to say, Deborah Goffe is truly an amazing performer. Her company, Scapegoat Garden, will premiere a new work "Studies in Empathy" in April. This new piece draws on the characters from Sophocles' "Antigone." Her company will also be performing in the fall show "35 Years of Dance" on November 18th in the Austin Arts Center. For more information about Deborah Goffe and her company, Scapegoat Garden, go to scapegoatgarden.org.
