Having a Ball

by Deni Kasrel

Pucci: SportMarch 19, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

The fact that dancers are also stellar athletes is hardly breaking news to aficionados of the art form. But apparently the general public is a bit slow to warm to the concept. How else to explain the Pennsylvania Ballet’s current advertising campaign highlighting its members’ ability to perform endless sit-ups and other gym bunny activities? And now comes Peter Pucci’s Sport, a program based on familiar movements of baseball, tennis, boxing, football, hockey, badminton, surfing, soccer and basketball.

Pucci's program clearly aims to develop crossover appeal between people who enjoy dance for the sake of dance and those that revel in watching individuals perform impressive gymnastics. That pretty much sums up the collective impact of Sport, featuring clever choreography combined with basic movements of those aforementioned sports. It's a simple enough concept, however, Pucci adds depth to the notion by infusing his pieces with subversive wit to comment on the human condition.

The hockey segment, for instance, features a male hockey player and a female skater in a black body suit who darts across the stage to represent the elusive puck. The pair occasionally meet in the middle, but mainly this is a seductive game about a relationship that never gels. Another segment sets a single woman on a stage strewn with footballs. Her gestures, including wandering about with hands pumping the air, then drawing close to the chest, imply longing and frustration. Here Pucci plays with the idea of the football widow. The tennis section presents a male holding a tennis racket performing a solo to traditional Chinese music. His body-bending actions blend martial arts and hip-hop breakdance movements that make reference to notions of an individual's desire to constantly stretch beyond his natural abilities.

Sometimes Pucci makes his point in comedic fashion. Like "Basketball," where a klutzy woman meets up with a team of fancy dribblers. The woman chases after a ball that skitters across the stage while the others bounce basketballs with drill-team precision. Initially the ball handlers shoo the woman out of their way, but eventually she finds a coordinated groove and is welcomed by her athletic counterparts.

The physical feats are impressive throughout. Still, this program is all about making dance accessible to the masses. Some connect with the subtext, others simply enjoy the show as a celebration of human bodies in motion.

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