ADF flies high

Co-directors say this year's festival was a hit with the fans

DURHAM -- Charles L. Reinhart and Jodee Nimerichter had good reason to be tired and cranky as the American Dance Festival's ambitious 30th anniversary season in Durham wound toward its final night Saturday at Duke University.

But instead, the festival co-directors spoke energetically about what they deemed an unexpectedly popular season.

Almost 2,000 more tickets were sold than last year. Reviews were generally positive. And Reinhart says he heard fewer complaints from dissatisfied fans than in previous seasons.

Reinhart and Nimerichter shared some observations about the 6 1/2-week festival, as they put one anniversary behind them and looked forward to an even bigger one next year: the 75th since the festival began in New England.

Blast from the past

Audiences flipped for "Past/Forward," a triple bill performed by ADF students, featuring two classic works -- Helen Tamiris' "How Long Brethren?" (1937) and Laura Dean's "Sky Light" (1982) -- and a new dance by avant-garde choreographer Rudy Perez. The performance replaced the International Choreographers Commissioning Program, in which visiting artists create new works using the students.

Nimerichter says ADF fans approached her in the community and called her for days afterward to say how much they liked the show.

"Past/Forward" was more than a high profile gig for the students, Reinhart noted. It was a history lesson, and they were hungry to know more.

"Old people love to talk about the era when they were young," says Reinhart, who is 76. "And when a young person asks them that, the old person gets younger and very excited about it. I love talking about the '30s. And the whole context of 'How Long Brethren?' -- I thought this was dynamite."

So can we count on another "Past/Forward" next year? "I wouldn't bet against it," Reinhart says.

Home-brewed

More choreographers spent extended periods at Duke than Reinhart can recall in his almost 40 years as director. Martha Clarke arrived several weeks before the festival began last month so she could work on her reimagined revival of her seminal 1984 dance/theater creation, "The Garden of Earthly Delights," the festival opener.

Japanese choreographers Eiko & Koma spent two weeks at Duke preparing to set one of their own dances, the 1983 duet "Grain," with other dancers for the first time. They also created a new quartet with their "Grain" proteges, Cambodian teens Charian and Peace. The "Past/Forward" artists worked here, as did some of the Russian artists.

Biggest hurdle

The Argentine mini-festival, hands down, Nimerichter says. Weeks before the mini-festival within ADF, the Argentine government agency that had arranged free flights for 14 of the 19 artists told Nimerichter that a private airline had reneged -- forcing ADF to scrounge for donations. Of the $12,000 needed, local donors gave $8,625, including a $6,500 grant from Durham-based SunTrust Foundation.

That wasn't all. Argentina had its first snowfall in 89 years this month (it's winter there), so some artists heading home were delayed in Miami and had to fork up for lodging. Others left luggage behind, including a duffel bag full of lighting equipment. Choreographer Susana Tambutti left her carry-on bag containing her original 1985 costume and props for "The Stab" at the airport gate, without identification. It has not been found. An airline also misplaced an Indonesian choreographer's luggage, including masks and costumes, delivering it weeks later, after his non-mainstage ADF performance. ADF arranged a second show.

"It's the year of the bags," Nimerichter says. "The bags being found, the bags being left. Bags disappearing."