Current Issue: Artvoice v7n47, week of Thursday November 20 » back issues
Chita Rivera Explosion! |
by Anthony Chase |
Moments of Pure Tingling Magic in "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life" |
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• Chita’s first entrance in silhouette. • Chita’s second entrance in the light. • After two tries, Chita finally nails “A Boy Like That,” recreating her successful audition for West Side Story. • Chita performs “America” and “Dance at the Gym” from West Side Story, with the cast of The Dancer’s Life. • The way Chita looks to the spotlight during “Nowadays” and sings “In 50 years or so, it’s gonna change you know” to the pointedly absent Gwen Verdon. • Chita’s quick impersonations. She has Gwen Verdon’s quavering voice down to perfection. She also does a great Marilyn Monroe, a good Stritch and a good Peter Gennaro, (Upon request, she does a convincing Tony Mordente.) • Chita opens the second act by dancing a sexy tango sequence opposite sexy Richard Amaro. • Chita gives a master class on the styles of great choreographers she has known: Jack Cole, Peter Gennaro, Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins. • Chita sings “Class” from Chicago, “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer” from The Rink, and the title song from The Kiss of the Spider Woman all in quick succession. • After teasing us all night, Chita finally sings her signature song, “All That Jazz” in the final moments of the show. |
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Aspects of a Live Chita Rivera Performance to Treasure |
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• The way Chita works the skirt of her dress. • Chita’s remarkable posture and physical grace. She even stands beautifully. • The way Chita vocalizes while she is dancing, making clicks, coos, and quiet comments. “Así!” • Chita’s irresistible smile and deeply musical laugh. • The way Chita rests her voice by cooing in her high register from time to time. • Chita’s generosity to the dancers who work with her. Watch how graciously she does something as simple as accepting a glass of water, for instance. • The adoring way Chita’s dancers look at her during the curtain call. • Chita making minor concessions to her age, as for example, when she comically elects not to do the split from Can-Can. • The way Chita snaps into familiar moments of staging, as if by instinct. You are seeing the pure kinesthetic memory of a dancer. Watch as she confidently joins the mambo for “Dance at the Gym.” Or notice the way she chews gum in “Camille, Colette, Fifi”; then realize—there is no chewing gum. (She did something similar in the film of Chicago, surprising even herself by unconsciously rolling down one stocking as she had originally done on Broadway.) • Chita’s unique vocal interpretations—you won’t hear her sing “find a palace where you’re the shah!” from Spider Woman, but she does give us her warbling underwater “Waah Waah!” from “Nowadays”; “I hear that Father Dip is gonna blow the blues,” from “All that Jazz”; and the scolding “One of your own kind. Stick to your own kind!” from “A Boy Like That.” Every other performance of a Chita song sounds flat by comparison. |
Artvoice Blog Headlines
Who Goes Where When Hillary Goes to State?posted November 19, 12:04 pm on Artvoice DailyCity Hall News has flow_chart that tracks who might replace who, from Hillary’s Senate seat on down (click to expand or follow the link—it’s an awkward shape): |
It’s Robert Rich Sr. All High Stadiumposted November 14, 5:05 pm on Artvoice DailyThese new signs properly label the structure. We’ve been reading recent stories in the Buffalo News about sportswriter Tom Borrelli’s terrible fall last week at the old All High Stadium. He’s currently battling life-threatening injuries... (more) |
CWM Fined for Violationsposted November 14, 2:41 pm on Artvoice DailyThis week Chemical Waste Management was fined $175,000 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for violating its permits and the state’s hazardous waste laws. I don’t have much to say about that, except it doesn’t seem to me like too much money... (more) |
Musical Chairsposted November 14, 12:51 pm on Artvoice DailyThe AP reports that Hillary Clinton met with Barack Obama in Chicago yesterday, adding fuel to speculation that she might be Obama’s choice for secretary of state. If that happens, it has long been rumored that Brian Higgins would be appointed to her Senate seat... (more) |
Paint the Townposted November 14, 11:06 am on Artvoice DailyLate last night, at the tail end of one of the few weeks in the past year in which we did not publish anything snarky about anybody, someone threw two gallons of paint on our front doors. Seems a waste; we hadn’t even earned it. Nonetheless, we were cleaning up all morning... (more) |
Old Editions Book Shopposted November 13, 1:58 pm on Artvoice DailyAV videographer Matt Quinn tours Old Editions, an often overlooked treasure at the corner of Oak and Huron Streets downtown: show enclosure (video/x-flv; 21.29 MB) |
This Is Not Today’s Newsposted November 12, 9:37 am on Artvoice DailyBut it would be nice if it were. Via the Data Stream, by way of Jon Winet. |
This Just In…posted November 11, 3:28 pm on Artvoice DailyAlways in the vanguard, researchers of the University at Buffalo’s Center of Human Capital have reached a bold conclusion, according to a statement disseminated this afternoon: Although no official determination has been made about whether New York State or the U... (more) |
Silver Lining: Edwards Remains a Good Guyposted November 11, 11:17 am on Artvoice DailyMarshawn Lynch Amid the anguished finger-pointing, plaintive wailing and resigned head-shaking sweeping the region following the Buffalo Bills’ third straight defeat, Season Ticket would like to apportion a minute sliver of credit. Quarterback Trent Edwards, by most quantitative and qualitative standards, failed miserably at New England on Sunday (not coincidentally, this was also his third consecutive regressive outing)... (more) |
Mazzariello’s Ristorante & Martini Barposted November 7, 4:30 pm on Chew on ThisPhoto taken by Rose Mattrey From Antipasti to Primi to Secondi, Mazzariello’s (114 Bloomfield Ave, Lancaster, 206.0561) has conquered the map of Italian cooking. Your palate will be exposed to an array of spices, herbs, and ingredients indigenous to Northern & Southern Italy... (more) |
Post Election Bits & Bytesposted November 7, 12:02 am on Tech VoiceElection ‘08 is now in the history books - so I figured it’s time to take a look backward, and a look forward at some relevant headlines. Hacking Democracy First, we’ll take a look at one of the best kept secrets of the campaign season, from both sides, care of a Newsweek article published just today... (more) |
BNMC Open Meeting Tonightposted November 6, 1:19 pm on Artvoice DailyTonight at 6pm in the auditorium of the downtown library, everyone is invited to attend a public hearing on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus—North End Projects. Among the projects planned are a 300,000 square foot Medical Office Building to be owned and operated by Ciminelli Development Company, Inc... (more) |
That Pigeon Won’t Flyposted November 6, 10:05 am on Artvoice DailySteve Pigeon Here’s another example, this one two years old, of the way Steve Pigeon’s political committees are alleged to steer money to candidates illegally. On September 15, 2006, the Pigeon-controlled PAC Citizens for Fiscal Integrity paid “RUR Strategy Group” $9,000 in consulting fees, according to CFI’s campaign finance disclosure forms... (more) |
SeaBar’s Social Calendarposted November 5, 12:44 pm on Chew on ThisSeaBar will host live jazz and sushi nights starting Friday, November 21st at 8 p.m. (5235 Main Street, Wmsvl, 204.5283). A Cave Springs Riesling Tasting Event will take place at SeaBar’s suburban location on Wednesday, November 9th at 7 p.m... (more) |
Artvoice TV: Latest Additions » more on AVTV
Twilightposted November 19, 1:09 pm on channel Movie Trailers
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamasposted November 19, 1:06 pm on channel Movie Trailers
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Avi Takes Artvoice Shopping for the holidays @ Lexington food Co-opposted November 19, 11:52 am on channel Food
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TRAIN DAY! @ the Buffalo Historical Societyposted November 17, 3:07 pm on channel Local Interest
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Mass Appeal: Elmwood Fashion Eventposted November 15, 10:19 pm on channel Events
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Buffalo Contemporay Danceposted November 15, 6:43 pm on channel Events
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Old Editions Book Shopposted November 13, 11:42 am on channel Local Interest
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Off Stage: Conversations with Anthony Chaseposted November 12, 4:50 pm on channel Theater
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Happy Go Luckyposted November 12, 2:08 pm on channel Movie Trailers
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Quantum of Solaceposted November 12, 2:01 pm on channel Movie Trailers
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Flash Party at Essex St.posted November 9, 10:59 am on channel Events
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Lakeview Effect at Nietzsche'sposted November 8, 4:54 pm on channel Music
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Flatbed at Allen St. Hardwareposted November 8, 2:28 pm on channel Music
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Obama's Nightposted November 6, 3:13 pm on channel Politics
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Election Day: Douglas County Staging Location Oneposted November 6, 10:59 am on channel Election 08
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