'Classical' dances show beauty, not depth

In the opening act of “Classical Beauties,” the curtain rose to reveal a stark stage featuring a lone woman in traditional Japanese dress. The allure of the opening number continued throughout the showcase of Asian classical pieces. Despite some shallow performances, the program of “Classical Beauties” was a beauty—exactly what it promised to be. Hosted at Miller Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 30, the event showcased Chinese, Japanese, and Indian traditional dance, theater, and music works.

The opening piece featured a dance of slow, meditative-yet-deliberate movements set to classical Japanese music. This piece was danced by Helen Moss, who goes by the stage name Fujima Nishika-no. Her stage presence was well-grounded and concentrated in an almost religious devotion to her fan—used throughout in a way similar to that in Flamenco dance.
This adoration of the fan was continued as the three other dancers presented Japanese classical dance. While the pieces were undeniably enjoyable, they seemed to lack any deeper emotional substance.

The same cannot be said for the show’s Indian dance performance. Almost as bright as the flamingo-pink and neon orange costumes was the emotional intensity of the dancers, Sadhana Paranji and Satya Pradeep. As they danced stories of devotion, love, and comedy, their synchronized actions perfectly offset their often-mirrored emotions. The short pieces, filled with fluid movement and extravagant costuming, were clearly audience favorites as they provided a light relief from the other slower-moving pieces.

However interesting the Japanese and Indian dances presented were, they can only be considered as warm-up acts to the performances from the Kunqu Society. Kunqu is a blend of theater and opera that developed from the 16th to 18th centuries, exemplified by the colorful and exuberant performances of Peking opera.

The first piece was “Encounter at the Pavilion,” a late 16th-century piece that tells of a meeting between a young man and woman, and his ensuing desire for her. The parts were sung by Min Cheng and Lou Yang, who both made valiant efforts to shed drama into the rigid piece. Nevertheless, at certain times, even their desperate efforts could not stop several members of the audience from napping.

The second piece was an altogether different affair. In “Kneeling by the Pond,” Min Cheng, Jiehua Shi, and Fulin Wen often captivated the audience in fits of laughter. This is not a regular occurrence when watching 16th-century Chinese opera, but here, hilarity only added to the effect of their performances.

The “Classical Beauties” on Miller stage showcased a grace and charm that have withstood the test of time. While the depth of emotions in some pieces exemplified their lasting power, the beauty of others proved to be only skin-deep.