Prophet Goes to Church: A New Iteration of Reggie Wilson’s ‘Moses(es)’

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By GIA KOURLAS

". . Moses(es)" by Reggie Wilson, at St. Cornelius Chapel
on Governors Island. Credit Darial Sneed

NEW YORK---In the stage version of “ ... Moses(es),” performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last December, the choreographer Reggie Wilson began by introducing himself to the assembled crowd. His dancers followed suit, adding how long they’d spent as members of his Fist & Heel Performance Group. Mr. Wilson then stuffed armloads of silver tinsel into a suitcase. He packs a lot into his dances. In Mr. Wilson’s low-key iteration of the production, shown at St. Cornelius Chapel on Governors Island on Wednesday, the space changes everything. The chapel’s crumbling white walls, arched windows and depth give the dancers pronounced individuality; instead of sculptural red costumes, they wear red practice clothes. The swooping, almost feverish choreography was just as potent here as it was at the Brooklyn Academy, but Mr. Wilson’s structure ignited the performance space with an earthy fervor. [link]

The River to River Festival continues through Sunday at various New York locations; rivertorivernyc.com.