Crows Feet Dance Collective's Retrospective rare treat for Palmerston North dance lovers

Wellington Crows Feet perform Requiem, an exquisite piece in memory of choreographer Jan Bolwell's sister. Photo / Rob Edwards

Retrospective
Crows Feet Dance Collective
Regent on Broadway
November 13
Reviewed by Judith Lacy

Much is made of how Palmerston North is only two hours from Wellington. We can pop to the capital for a show, engage in some waterfront dining, or hop on a ferry and leave Te Ika-a-Māui.

But when Wellington performers come to Palmy we're extra fortunate - minimal travel, parks nearly outside the venue, and familiar faces in the audience.

On Sunday, we were visited by Crows Feet dancers from Wellington, Kāpiti, and the Hutt. In return, we offered them our beautiful Regent on Broadway with its huge sprung floor and enough dressing rooms to accommodate a ballet company. A "divine experience" one of the Palmy dancers said afterwards.

The Crows had chosen some of their favourites from the past 22 years.

Wellington Crows Feet performed Requiem, to Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins' music of the same name.

Crows Feet Dance Collective founder Jan Bolwell created this work in memory of her younger sister who died of cancer.

It's a spectacular piece with the dancers' clothes and lighting complementing each other and reminding us of responses to grief and, of course, that great leveller - death.

It must have taken an awful lot of practice. With the addition of students from the Carolyn McKeefry Dance Academy and what appeared to be a wider age range among the Wellington Crows, Requiem had more interest than some of the other pieces with its changing body heights.

Palmerston North Crows Feet performed Wading into the Manawatū, created in 2017 but not performed here until Sunday. It's science meets dance, environmental activism meets colourful clothes. The piece gave me plenty to think about - particularly the need to be constantly vigilant about the state of our awa. Some of the performers' words were lost as they didn't have microphones.

The Retrospective opened with Woman's Work, choreographed by Bolwell in 2004 and easily my favourite piece of the retrospective.

To Bolero by Ravel, the Kāpiti Crows showed the extent of work women are usually expected to do. Everyone who has ever used a vacuum cleaner would have been able to relate to trying to wrangle those hoses that have a mind of their own.

With no dialogue and no lyrics, the opening number very much presented a piece of beautifully edged writing paper leaving you to fill it with your interpretation.

Witchy Woman performed by Hutt Crows perhaps relied too much on the lyrics of the Eagles song of the same name.

Bolwell told us research has shown how important dance is for cognitive health. When she established the company for older women in 1999, she was determined they were not going to hide in the studio but get out and perform.

Who cares if you have crows feet if your feet can move like these crows. Thanks for coming north, Capital and capital crows.

It was a Sunday afternoon palette cleanser devoid of the Christmas craziness that creeps up earlier each year. Just what I needed.

This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air