Weather outside – frightful. Inside, Hanna Q Dance performance – delightful
Milford. Intrepid souls braved one of the coldest nights of the year to support Johanna LjungQvist-Brinson’s newest choreography.
Milford /
| 08 Feb 2023 | 11:45
Hanna Q dancers Sophia Michitson, William Feldon and Giorgia Picano. Photo by John Henry Watson.
Four in the Forest featured dancers Wiliam Feldon, Giorgia Picano, John Trunfio and Sophia Michitson. Photo by Marilyn Rosenthal.
Hanna LjungQvist-Brinson and John Steven Hellman sprayed fog paint over the spotlights which created a perfectly eerie and other-worldly effect. Photo by Marilyn Rosenthal.
It was seven degrees Fahrenheit on Feb. 4. People were bundled up, wearing fur coats, scarfs, woolly winter hats, and lots of layers.
They were running to get into St. Patrick’s Church Hall to see Hanna Q Dance company’s winter performance.
Inside, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, filled with friends and fans. There was lots of wine and munchies and these intrepid souls braved one of the coldest nights of the year to support Johanna LjungQvist-Brinson’s newest choreography.
Hanna Q Dance Company, founded in 2013, performs original works mostly in New York City, but it has also become a staple of the art of ballet in Milford (www.hannaqdancecompany.com).
This was the first of two winter performances. The other, a celebration of the vernal equinox and Spring, will be on March 24, at 7 p.m., also at St. Patrick’s Church Hall.
‘As We Grow’
The first piece, “As We Grow,” depicted the development of a love story with first attraction, building up from interest to excitement, then rejection, and finally, the choice of one’s true love which was meant to be.
The dancers were Sophia Michitson, Giorgia Picano, William Feldon and John Trunfio.
‘Forest Creatures’
The second piece, “Forest Creatures,” was a depiction of how LjungQvist-Brinson imagines creatures in nature.
She often takes long walks outdoors and that is where she gets her motivation.
The choreography followed the music, which was at once lyrical and also maybe a bit scary.
The dancers became fantastical creatures and the powerful imagination of LjungQvist-Brinson transported the audience to a (warmer) enveloping forest. The creatures were foraging, hunting and playing.
The costumes and the body paint on the dancers were totally captivating. People were enthralled.
Before the dancers came out, LjungQvist-Brinson and John Steven Hellman sprayed fog paint over the spotlights which created a perfectly eerie and other-worldly effect.
‘Beautiful and powerful’
“I loved both performances,” said Mary Cooney. “They were amazing and the sentiment and meaning behind them profound.”
“What a beautiful and powerful performance,” added Taylor James. “I can’t wait for the next one.”