Most people would imagine their sanctuary as a beach house on a private island or a secluded log cabin in lush forest. Washington choreographer Ed Tyler's idea of a sanctuary is a bleak room with chain-link fences, eerie fluorescent lighting and white, padded walls.
This bleak, industrial landscape contributes to the atmosphere of fear and lonliness Tyler creates in "Sanctuary," a group dance piece he choreographed. His unique visual collage, presented by the Washington Performing Arts Society, debuted at the Tivoli Theatre this past weekend.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Tyler described a sanctuary as "that inner space for which we search to find peace." According to Tyler, "Our sanctuary is a myth of danger restrained, of eternal haven." Yet, in his piece, he shows a subverted sanctuary where a haven becomes an inescapable chamber of isolation, fear and self-torture.
"Sanctuary" is a dark yet beautiful probe into a person's reaction to this isolation. In the first movement, a solitary traveler seeking refuge desperately tries to enter the sanctuary but is unable to find a way inside. While asleep, she is pulled into the dreary enclosure and awakes to find herself in a refuge that is more like an insane asylum than a peaceful respite.
Tyler effectively conveys the characters' desperation for escape, as his dancers forcefully hurl themselves against the metal fences seeking to break free. The lyrics of the music haunt the characters and audience: "The door is locked, the window down. The building is quite dead."
Musical choice is strong in Tyler's work. The artist picks musical pieces that complement the emotional highs and lows of the characters' experiences. In the movement "Chairs," the music is repetitious, slower and more somber to reflect the monotony of existence in the sanctuary, while in "Cornered" the music surges with the emotional struggle as the characters seek to destroy the refuge that limits them. In every scene Tyler's excellent musical choices heighten the emotional impact of the dance.
The scenery and costume design, also created by Tyler, are perfect for the dark atmosphere of the piece. With fences, padded walls and fluorescent lighting he creates a modern, sterile enclosure that conveys the bleakness of isolation and depression. It is impressive how Tyler uses the minimal scenery in new and innovative ways throughout the piece. The padding that lined the walls at the beginning becomes mattresses in a later scene, while the fluorescent lights that add ambient glow in the first act become the focus of a later movement. In the same way, the costumes, made of second-hand clothing, are transformed throughout the show as pieces are removed and added. Tyler has a gift for building transformative materials.
"Sanctuary" features body movement and choreography that go beyond dance conventions. Tyler's piece will expand notions of what dance is. At times the dancers box or belly-flop onto mattresses. In another scene, one dancer acrobatically hangs from a rope as the dancers below threaten her. Later, a dancer exposes herself as she strips from female clothing to male clothing and back. There are dancers who tap dance while wearing only one shoe and others who jerk their bodies in spasms of self-torture. Tyler does the bizarre, but in doing so he explores new ways to communicate emotion.
While no audience members would want to venture into Tyler's sanctuary, it is a fascinating world to witness. "Sanctuary" captivates the audience with its unconventional choreography and moves with its emotional exploration of humans' search for peace and sanctuary in the world. Unfortunately the show's weekend run is over, but for an unconventional experience keep a look out for the next Ed Tyler production.
