Chorus, ODC in soul-soothing world premiere
Rachel Howard, Chronicle Dance Correspondent

Monday, March 17, 2008

In a day when canned sound is the norm for modern dance, it's stirring to see ODC/Dance Artistic Director Brenda Way's new "Life Is a House" and find yourself enveloped by more than two dozen angelic voices of the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

The music, delivered with piercing innocence Friday, consists of American folk songs, many of them spiritual- "Jesus died for you"- interwoven with intriguing interludes: a drone of "zzzzs;" a cacophony of yips. "Life Is a House," Way's third world premiere during this 37th ODC Dance season, was commissioned by the chorus, which will also have ODC's powerhouse dancers join them for their May performances. It's soothing to the soul and it serves both organizations well. It is not always choreographically inspired.

Taking flight
ODC/Dance leaps from the Mission to SoMa for its annual "Downtown" performances
BY RITA FELCIANO
Wednesday March 19, 2008

Even for a company as committed to keeping on the move as ODC/Dance, debuting five world premieres in two programs is pushing the envelope of what is creatively possible — not only for in-house choreographers Brenda Way and KT Nelson, but also for the performers who have to learn the stuff.