Seeing a dance show on a stage? Delightful, but that set-up has never been Heidi Duckler's cup of tea. Opting for unusual settings, Duckler and her Collage Dance Theatre have chosen the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena for their staging of "A Guide to an Exhibitionist." Audio listening devices for the audience, projections and a focus on bringing art in a gallery to life -- literally --are all on the bill. The saucy title translates into winking, witty interpretations on nudes, the figure and the observer's gaze.
Just how Duckler and her dancers will expand into the impressive and expansive Armory Center is something we can't wait to see. Will they keep to one tiny corner, never venturing out? If her past choreography is any testament, that would be a big no. Dancers will likely run amuck in glorious pursuit of a storyline and sensation.
We've long admired Duckler's choices for setting: the old Perino's restaurant, a police academy, a laundromat and even the side -- yes, as in the outside, on the staircases -- of the giant Emser Tile building in West Hollywood. The themes are clever and challenging. And we're always up for seeing exhibitionism explored, dissected and celebrated, especially through movement and sound.
A Guide to an Exhibitionist
Heidi Duckler's Collage Dance Theatre
October 24-26
Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena
818-784-8669
