Amelia

Amelia modern dance. Choreography by Édouard Lock, leader of the dance group LaLaLa Human Steps. Music by David Lang with lyrics by Lou Reed. Lock directed this as a dance motion picture in 2002. The dancers in this film are Andrea Boardman, Nancy Crowley, Mistaya Hemingway, Keir Knight, Chun-Hong Li, Bernard Martin, Jason Shipley-Holmes, Billy Smith, Naomi Stikeman, and Zofia Tujaka. Photography directed by André Turpin. Unique set designed by Lock; costumes by Vandal; Folley effects by Lisa Wedlock; sound design by Hans-Peter Strobl. Grade: A

Lock and his dancers toil here on a work that was never seen by any spectator (there is also a stage version of Amelia). The set, constructed solely (I think) for this film, is a stage of maple flooring folded up into a box with rounded corners and high walls that isolates the dancers in the unique world of Lock logic. The Lock style is based on classical ballet, but the 18th century concepts of aristocratic grace and elegance have been replaced a modern emphasis on power, speed, and slick style. Lock also adds curious jerky motions of the arms and hands to the mix which could be, for all I know, a sign language. The women, dressed in revealing black tights, are panthers specializing in incredibly fast moves. The men, dressed in black suits and white shirts, mostly support the women, but they have their own funky vocabulary as well. The music is jazz from the streets, and it appears that Amelia (whoever she may be) has a drug problem. A total-control artist, Lock also seems to use post-production to get a muted, grainy patina for this show that reminds me of the Lars von Trier movies.

This dead serious show is absorbing, and the dancing is consistently awesome. I feel wonder and compassion for these young people who have worked so hard to be a part of this exotic world. Lock's work is highly regarded by fans of modern dance. But other than admiration, I fear the dancers get little back except rent money and a chance to keep doing what they love to do. Since I don't know what is happening to them in the libretto, I can only concentrate on feeling their pain. I get the crazy notion that I am in communion with them and that years later they will somehow sense this. I have a day dream that maybe one of the dancers will stumble onto this review via the Internet and tell me in an email what it was like to work with Locke on this film and what the film is about. You usually don't get these kind of ideas just watching a movie, but HDVD can do it to you.

This Opus Arte title should be a good seller for many years. Maybe the dancers will get more fame from this HDVD than was ever possible from the film itself. I think Amelia may point down a new path. There must be many groups of modern dance artists seeking recognition. Courd HDVD  give them a new way to reach a world-wide audience?

If you are up on Lock and/or Lou Reed, maybe you can add comments here explaining what Amelia is all about, if anything. Or perhaps you could research the lyrics for the music (the songs are credited in the film) and we could post them here to help us better enjoy the show.