Portage (2010)

Choreographer:  Melanie Aceto

Composer: Marc Mellits, Red

Portage is a four-movement work danced to a score for two marimbas by composer Marc Mellits.  Made in consultation with the composer, each section of Portage explores the musical landscape.  The opening section of round and punctuated marimba introduces the dancers through lofty, woven jogs and establishes solo and duet spinning.

Section II illustrates the repetitious shifting of the melody up and down the scale by incrementally shifting bodies down the diagonal.  Each person is moved segment by segment just as the marimba is punctuated note by note.

 Section III embodies the resonance, the prolongation of sound, through continual and softly decorated spinning.  The calming sight and sound provide contrast to the fourth section’s drive. 

 The fourth and final section is continual motion in solo, duet and whole group form.  It explores the use of both line and circularity and uses the music as inspiration for its dynamic structure.