"...Charlie Campagna's score seduces you with
an impressive array of textures and rhythms that artfully
exploit the resources of four-channel audio and, especially,
the improvisational capabilities of vocalists Jessica Basta
and Moira Smiley.”
- Lewis Segal, Los Angeles Times (January,
2006)
“Enter Breath & Bone, a
mind-blowing escapade into the world of memories, voices and
primal instincts choreographed by Monica Favand, the superbly
talented Artistic Director behind Trip Dance Company.”
- Sergio Martinez, SOCAL.COM (January,
2006)
PRAYING FOR DAYBREAK:
“Monica Favand's octet “'Howl'”
bristled with primeval longings and intoxicating leaps"
-Victoria Looseleaf, Los Angeles Times
“With its hallucinatory music,
fertile moves and seductive lighting, TRIP Dance Theatre,
under the artistic direction of an indefatigable Monica Favand,
is aptly named. Its latest journey: “'Praying for Daybreak',”
a program of 10 stunningly danced works...proved memorable...as
the troupe used Favand's dramatic and precise movement style
to probe current dark times.”
-Victoria Looseleaf, Los Angeles Times
THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD OF THE
HEART:
“Trip founder Monica Favand
kicked into an improvisatory melange of free-form poly-rhythmic
articulations. The mixture of influences that made up her
“Call and Response” (African torso isolations
here, whirling dervish spins there) typified Favand's tendency
to borrow and blend cultural idioms with abandon. For the
length of this altogether too brief solo, she was a sight
to behold: a dynamic flurry of flying limbs and long hair
riding the kinetic impulses of Ron Bartlett's and Hector Torespercussion
and Charlie Campagna's guitar accompaniment.”
- Sara Wolf, Los Angeles Times
INANNA:
"Vein' sensitively evoked the bonds
of sisterhood through overlapping speeches and dream dances
created and performed by Elaine Wang and Koala Yip. Hovering
protectively over each other, mirroring each other's actions
and linking their relationship to nature imagery, they made
family blood ties into sweet, mystical communion."
- Lewis Segal, Los Angeles Times
"Modern dance began a little more than a
century ago in attempts to connect with profound, ancient
spiritual expressions, and it periodically returns to those
sources of inspiration as an antidote to corrupt consumer
culture. TRIP Dance Theatre's full-evening life-cycle "Inanna"
had all the hallmarks of such a return in its premiere Friday
at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood ...Favand
and company delivered it all with ... considerable skill...
As in past TRIP Productions, Favand's costumes defined a bold
creativity, but music director Charlie Campagna must be credited
with the evening's most intense pleasures: atmospheric but
sharply grounded instrumental and vocal performances."
- Lewis Segal, Los Angeles Times
"Dancing alone on a box, drenched
in the light of changing slides, Wang seemed to be participating
in a private ritual. The photos sometimes looked like her
family snapshots, the recorded voice could have been a monologue
about what she expected in life, and for just a moment-as
she sank moodily into a place where her face merged with the
projected image of an expectant, dressed-up little girl-there
was something to share, and electronic rite of passage, from
snapshot memory to burdened adult."
- Jennifer Fisher, Los Angeles Times
WANDERLUST:
"A welcome aggressive edge . . . the
first two installments of Dance Kaleidoscope '96 belonged
to its wonder women . . . insanity invaded the secretarial
pool in Monica Favand's off-the-wall theater piece, 'Carpal
Tunnel' . . . "
- Lewis Segal, Los Angeles Times
"'Wanderlust' brimmed with interpretative
talent, beginning with Trip artistic director Monica Favand
. . . a performer of great emotional urgency . . . Eric Daniel
Haun invigorated (TRIP) with a new energy and a sophisticated
dynamic sense. (In "Wasteland") Liz Maxwell, Lynne
DeMarco and Koala Yip all performed strongly, with everyone
meshing into a honed ensemble . . . rocking against one another
and then whirling restlessly through the space and across
the floor, they effectively physicalized the sound of rushing
wind that accompanied them, displaying a level of skill and
stamina worth celebrating."
- Lewis Segal, Los Angeles Times
"Monica Favand's humorous performance
art piece 'Carpal Tunnel' struck a resonant chord with any
frustrated artist who's ever held down an office job."
- Pamela Hurley Diamond, Dance Magazine
SLITHER:
"In her solo 'Slither', Monica Favand
gamely shape-shifted her torso, arms and legs, seamlessly
moving as if an internal energy force were passing through
her . . . erotic and primal . . . showing off incredible body
control, yet making it look easy, Favand's 'Slither' only
underscored the loss to our dance community now that she's
relocated to L.A."
- Deni Kasrel, Philadelphia City Paper
"Monica Favand curled and unfurled
to the steamy 'Coffee' music from 'The Nutcracker' in 'Slither'.
Working mostly on the floor, Favand seemed sinuously propelled
by the dips and swerves of Tchaikovsky's score."
- Jennifer Fisher, Los Angeles Times
"Monica Favand's 'Slither' was a sensuous
solo full of bent wrists, cocked elbows, and curving legs
developing with daring, unexpected turns . . . sexy choreography."
- Bing Mark, Philadelphia Inquirer
"TRIP Dance Theatre brings back Monica
Favand, a masterful mover who's sensuous with a capital 'S'".
-Deni Kasrel, Philadelphia City Paper
OTHER WORKS:
"Monica Favand has an unerring sense
of timing and kinetic dynamics, an instinct for the telling
shape and gesture. She is definitely a talent to watch in
the seasons ahead…first-rate work as a dancer and choreographer
. . . 'Child Garden' is an extraordinarily well-crafted ensemble
work, set to an increasingly chilling narration of children's
aspirations and fears."
- Brad Rosenstein, Philadelphia City Paper
"'IF' generated much creative heat
. . . Monica Favand's 'Wasteland', a bleak tableau of isolation,
featured strong performances by (the company)."
- Victoria Looseleaf, Los Angeles Times
"Friday night had several high points,
starting with 'Carry Me'…performed by Bazell and Brenda
Kunda. Both women are beautiful movers who glided through
an emotional landscape, riding bursts of music and landing
in soft embraces in golden pools of light"…
- Jennifer Fisher, Los Angeles Times
"... with a rapid rhythm, permanent
changes of levels and dynamics, (Monica Favand) changes into
several personalities spanning the entire stage in a solo
performance full of vigor and despair."
- Irene Amuchastegui, Beunas Aires Herald
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