Style Weekly
Male Bonding
Dan Froot and David Dorfman explore male friendships through the unlikely medium of dance.
by Cheryl PallantWith "Horn," the earliest of the three works
presented, they were surprised by the initial audience reaction of laughter.
"We thought the audience was laughing us off the stage," says Froot. When they
later realized they had tapped into an area of discomfort, they capitalized
on the idea. "I think we're always looking for humor in what we're doing. Emotional
surgery is a base of our work, but we do it as much to delight ourselves as
our audience."
In "Horn," both men play saxophones, but without
maintaining the polite safe distance customary between musicians. Instead, the
two shirtless, kilt-wearing men slither and pivot off each other. "Job" includes
adrenalized movement, improvised storytelling, assisted by such props as telephones
and a rope that ties them together. Like two businessmen, they wrangle and manipulate,
but the product is friendship, not something that would ever show up on Wall
Street's S and P Index. With the pair in tuxedoes, "Bull" explores the violent
and sensual side of relationships. Rather than awkwardly ignoring signs of affinity,
they blast their private, usually well-guarded thoughts through a bullhorn.
Whereas feminism gave women an opportunity to
explore, challenge and change some aspects of women's roles, breakthroughs of
the strictures for men lag behind. This duet won't be waiting for a mass movement.
This comedically staged friendship offers an example of what's possible. S
Dan Froot and David Dorfman's "Live Sax Acts"
will be at the Grace Street Theatre March 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15. 828-2020
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