Manifold Motion Brings the Multifaceted Talents of Their Crew to Canoe Club

Video still of Bridget Gunning from one of the works to be presented at Manifold Motion's "Miscellanea II" at the Canoe Club.

Manifold Motion, an interdisciplinary performance company founded by dancer/choreographer Keely Isaak Meehan, has a reputation for ambitious and visually arresting work. Earlier this year, they staged Woolgatherer at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, an original piece that explored the psychological crisis of hypermodernity by contrasting it against a stunningly visceral premodern world realized through through a fiber art installation. Now, tonight through Sunday, Manifold Motion is presenting Miscellanea II, the second edition of their showcase series that highlights the varied work of company members and collaborators, at the Canoe Club (tickets $10-$30).

Meehan will be performing Tulipomania, a collaboration with local poet and visual artist Linden Ontjes, a version of which they brought to On the Boards' 12 Minutes Max in late October. The core of the piece is Ontjes's poetic text, which uses metaphorical leaps to connect sexuality, economics, and life tensions to the tulip, which Meehan by turns interprets and counterpoints through movement.

Meehan's choreography--in my somewhat limited experience--tends towards the imagistic rather than the abstract. In Tulipomania, she anchors the movement to a series of concrete images of a flower blossoming, in between either interpreting the emotional content of Ontjes's text or counterpointing Ontjes by interacting directly.

Miscellanea II also features a movement-aerial-musical collaboration between upright bassist Evan Flory-Barnes and movement artist Bridget Gunning. Gunning is an extremely athletic performer to say the least, and while I have no idea what this piece will look like, I've heard it's as physical for the musician as the dancer.

The showcase also features work by Nicole Sasala (a frequent collaborator who otherwise runs the Asterisk Project), video work by Meehan and Leo Mayberry, an installation by Mike McCracken, and a variety of other work. Plus, this being the Canoe Club, the bar's open during the performance, giving it a bit more of a cabaret feel.