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Desert
Sins Middle Eastern dance extravaganza unsettles and enthralls with its
striking concoction of latex, glitter and pain. The atmospheric first act
finds grim inspiration in a waxwork chamber of horrors, a merry-go-round of
legendary women each trapped in her cramped cage. A ghoulish Ringmaster
(Brad Miller) orchestrates the rotating stage, forcing each legend from her
quarters. Middle-Eastern-style choreography is hypnotic even dressed down,
as here coiling, languorous and cruel. We see Mati Hari (Tatianna) get
shot, the Snow Queen (Cassandra) raped (who knew?), and Joan of Arc
(Djahari) enters burning. As the Ringmasters guest, the audience spends
Act 1 feeling uncomfortably implicated in the tortures underscoring the
stunning beauty and skill of Djahari and
SaElayssas choreography, and
Jeremy Vargus superb technics. A briefer Act 2 finds the Ringmaster in
Egypt where he promptly recovers from his slight pre-intermission
comeuppance when a flock of sinuous sun worshippers reveals his divine
origins. This tenuous narrative link sets up a rager between gods Ra and
Apep, whose curvaceous minions shimmy and lurch for dominance under two
massive, violent puppets. As they loom over the third row, one feels
disconcertingly fragile this spectacle has fangs. Desert
Sin Dance Company at the Ivar Theater, 1605 N. Ivar Ave., Hlywd.; Fri.-Sun.,
8 p.m.; thru June 12. (866) 468-3399. Written
05/25/2005 (Amy Nicholson) |
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