Keeping it Kamp: Keigwin Kabaret at Symphony Space’s Thalia Dance, April 2009
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If you avoid dance because it’s stuffy, or serious, or tedious, but you dig nudity and dirty jokes, Keigwin + Company’s Keigwin Kabaret is a good way to get your feet wet. Larry Keigwin effortlessly blends technique, wit, and social commentary in all of his work, but the Kabaret offers choice morsels from his Elements show (milking such reckless musical juxtapositions as Etta James and Devo) garnished by guest performances from Big Moves New York (three obese women shamelessly grooving in red and black lingerie), Bradford Scobie (a cowboy who ingenuously croons a dirty ditty about his fetish for fowl), and the World Famous BOB (a local burlesque star, who strips to her sparkles), all while emcee Ambrose Martos runs a light and lascivious commentary.
The stage is a bit small for Keigwin’s choreography, so dance aficionados might feel cheated, but it’s a rare treat to watch a very serious group of dancers Crank That Soulja Boy, Walk it Out, and run down the aisles whooping to Naughty by Nature’s rap classic “O.P.P.” (while you enjoy a cocktail). Keigwin + Company are clearly having fun rubbing high art’s face in the dirt, and we have fun watching them do it. More importantly, they have the skills to back it up.
Keigwin + Company. Credit: Matthew Murphy.
Contributor
Dalia RatnikasDALIA RATNIKAS is a sometimes-dancer sometimes-writer who enjoys playing with her toes and twisting her body like a pretzel. You can also find her at dahlhaus.
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