Deborah Goffe's Dancing Exhibits Elegance, Power
Lauren Turlik
Issue date: 10/18/05 Section: Arts
Have you ever seen someone jump so high that you actually question if she will land? Have you ever seen someone twist her body in so many strange ways that you wonder if she has a spine? Have you ever seen someone dance with such emotion that you can understand her story by watching her fingertips? Deborah Goffe's solo performance last Wednesday was so spectacular that the audience actually believed she could fly, lacked a spine, and could speak with her fingers. She is a true artist: a gymnast, a dancer, a singer, an athlete, a storyteller, an actress, a filmmaker. Goffe incorporated her dance, her voice, and her film in a self-choreographed evening of solo works, "Every Now and Then She Takes Flight."
Deborah Goffe was born in Hartford, Conn. and raised between Hartford and Bloomfield. "I've danced in some form most of my life, but began studying modern dance as a teenager. At that time I developed a love for dance history and the pioneers of American modern dance. That is what inspired me to pursue it further. I began formal training in college," said Goffe. She currently teaches modern dance at Trinity. She performs as a member of the Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble and is the Artistic Director of Scapegoat Garden, a non-profit arts organization.
Goffe performed her piece "Every Now and Then She Takes Flight" as part of the Seabury 47 series celebrating the 35th year of dance at Trinity. She entered the crowded studio wearing a metallic gold hoop skirt and a white halter top. Already, her focus was strictly on her dance, avoiding eye contact with the audience. But then she began to leap and spin across the floor, expressing so much emotion through her eyes, her face, her fingers, and her back that it seemed she was speaking directly to me. She moved with such elegance and strength that I questioned whether I should refer to her movement as delicate or powerful. The muscle definition of her arms and back contrasted the long skirt she wore. Her jumps were incredibly high and alive, but she did not make a sound when she landed, as gently as if she was dancing on eggshells.
Deborah Goffe was born in Hartford, Conn. and raised between Hartford and Bloomfield. "I've danced in some form most of my life, but began studying modern dance as a teenager. At that time I developed a love for dance history and the pioneers of American modern dance. That is what inspired me to pursue it further. I began formal training in college," said Goffe. She currently teaches modern dance at Trinity. She performs as a member of the Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble and is the Artistic Director of Scapegoat Garden, a non-profit arts organization.
Goffe performed her piece "Every Now and Then She Takes Flight" as part of the Seabury 47 series celebrating the 35th year of dance at Trinity. She entered the crowded studio wearing a metallic gold hoop skirt and a white halter top. Already, her focus was strictly on her dance, avoiding eye contact with the audience. But then she began to leap and spin across the floor, expressing so much emotion through her eyes, her face, her fingers, and her back that it seemed she was speaking directly to me. She moved with such elegance and strength that I questioned whether I should refer to her movement as delicate or powerful. The muscle definition of her arms and back contrasted the long skirt she wore. Her jumps were incredibly high and alive, but she did not make a sound when she landed, as gently as if she was dancing on eggshells.
