Celia Rowlson-Corridor’s ‘SISSY’: A push and pull

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SISSY breaks the fourth wall over and over, reconstructing it each time – fitting into the theme of demolition and rebuilding. Or, pushing a rock up a hill over and over. Or…life. Specifically, life through the eyes, mind and heart of a 40s-something woman trying to pursue art while other (art-distracting) realities continually knock her off course. Or on to a new one, as art is wont to do.

Heavy themes dominate the work: illness and death of one’s parents, pregnancy and birth, destruction of the environment, and reality that what one wants out of life might just not be in the cards, despite desperately seeking it. However, these ideas unfold on the buoyant, yet far from smooth waters of magnetic surrealism: you’re not scared of falling overboard, but you sure are paying attention to make sure the boat stays upright as it navigates the inevitable beauty that comes from overcoming struggle and angst.

The setting, an artist residency somewhere in upstate NY, is an old Elks lodge scheduled for demolition, apparently before the residency is complete. Winters, as the director, constantly deals with the literal walls falling down while attempting to finish the work. The audience gets pushed and pulled between “real life” and the inner wonder of an dancer/choreographer’s mind. The inner wonder of Rowlson-Hall’s mind is rich and varied; we see the modern dance we expect but also Irish step dancing, five-gallon bucket percussion playing, odd plateaus of classic sculpture, rave-style sections with air traffic control lights and, of course, the necessary oversized beach ball as the boulder. It’s chaotic at times, but so is life.

Last summer, I saw Twyla Tharp’s How Long Blues at Little Island, her own dance theater piece. It, too, had many threads of whimsy, incredible talent and unexpected elements. I left thinking, “If this is what comes out of a woman whose entire life has been devoted to the relentless pursuit of art, who is in her 80s, I’m glad I signed up to be an artist as a kid because it is delightful.” Rowlson-Hall, half the age of Tharp, made me feel the same. It also made me proud to be a woman, and happy to be a woman in the arts because for all the struggles we face, the rewards of perseverance are so delightfully curious, ethereal and esoteric, often indescribable by words, but deeply poignant in feeling. As art is wont to do.

By Emily of Sarkissian of Dance Informa.

Aliza Russell, Baryshnikov Arts, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Choreographer, choreographers, choreography, dance review, dance reviews, dance theater, female choreographers, Ida Saki, Irish step dancing, Jacob Thoman, Jesse Kovarsky, Lucas Hedges, Marisa Tomeï, modern dance, Nando Morland, online dance review, online dance reviews, review, Reviews, Twyla Tharp, Zoë Winters