March 3-9, 2005

artpicks

Take Two

By: Cylla von tiedemann

"It's like eating rice the first time and then eating rice, beans and salsa," says Linda Reichert, Network for New Music's artistic director. "With each half you get a different prism to see or hear the music." In Doubletake, Network ensemble members play and then reprise four pieces — only in the second go-round, dancers also perform.

The composers — Lee Hyla, Robert Maggio, James Primosch and Chen Yi — each created a short work with the knowledge that it would accompany a dance as well. Even so, there was no mandate to write what could be characterized as "dance music." Rather, as one may expect from a Network performance, much of the material is challenging and complicated.

Christine Cox says she initially had a tough time figuring out how to choreograph to a composition by Primosch. "I had no idea what to do with it," she says. "I had to really try to discover the movement. I didn't understand all the logistics."

Two other choreographers, Matthew Neenan and Meredith Rainey, also take on the Network challenge for a program that Cox believes is sure to excite. "It's going to really be an evening full of sensory awareness," she raves. "Whenever you have the double combination of live music and live dance, you've got these multiple layers of human passion in front of you."

Doubletake, Network for New Music, Tue.-Wed., March 8-9, 8 p.m., $15-$20, Arts Bank, 601 S. Broad St., 215-848-7647.

—Deni Kasrel

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