Trisha Brown (1936-2017) was unquestionably a leading figure in the evolution of postmodern dance. But while filmmaker Marie-Hélène Rebois's documentary will likely appeal to choreographers and students interested in the specifics of Brown's unorthodox style, its attraction for a wider audience will be limited. The bulk of the film finds members of the Paris Opera Ballet preparing for a 2013 performance of Brown's seminal 1979 Glacial Decoy, a large-scale work that she created in collaboration with artist Robert Rauschenberg, who designed the flowing white gowns and a backdrop of stark black-and-white photographs. The dancers are instructed in Brown's idiosyncratic choreography—notable for its sinuous movement and wild gyrations—by Carolyn Lucas, who is the current associate director of the Trisha Brown Dance Company, and Lisa Kraus, a former troupe member who helped shape the original production. Kraus emerges as the sparkplug of the sessions, encouraging the young dancers to ignore the rules of traditional ballet and give themselves over to a more uninhibited approach that she is happy to demonstrate as well as describe. The only addition to the rehearsal footage, which lacks any connecting narration apart from occasional comments by the more subdued Lucas, are short clips from the 1979 premiere, with Brown among the ensemble (oddly enough, scenes from the finished Paris performance are not shown). DVD extras include Jonathan Demme's short film Accumulation with Talking plus Water Motor, which offers a cinéma vérité-style look at Brown performing the titular 1978 work in a rehearsal hall. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
In the Steps of Trisha Brown
(2016) 79 min. In English & French w/English subtitles. DVD: $29.95 ($398 w/PPR from www.icarusfilms.com). Icarus Films Home Video (available from most distributors). Volume 32, Issue 5
In the Steps of Trisha Brown
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