"A letter, a suitcase, a glance…and everything changes.” This is how the Deborah Slater Dance Theater introduces its new production, The Desire Line. The title refers to an architectural term that explains a path that people choose to walk on as opposed to the path that’s been created.
The Desire Line is the third and final installment of Slater’s trilogy inspired by the paintings of Alan Feltus. These intimate portrayals of women and men in formal, yet warmly human poses presented a rich challenge to Slater. In her words, “These cool paintings of everyday life break open to reveal the heat and heart just below the surface; they are studies of a moment — a moment when something is about to happen or has just happened — a revelation, a lie, a choice, an inaction — a moment in one’s life.”
Exploring the abstract nature of emotion is a favorite theme of the Deborah Slater Dance Theater. The company is dedicated to creating evening-length works exploring timely social issues through original movement, text, and music. Slater’s last work, Hotel of Memories, was awarded the 2007 Isadora Dance Award for Visual Design.
The Desire Line is presented twice at the Cowell Theater on March 28 and 29. See the calendar listing and www.artofthematter.org for more information.
— Jovanne Reilly
Images: The Desire Line Kerry Mehling, Photo: Andy Mogg (top)
Breton Tyner-Bryan & Kerry Mehling, Photo: David Papas (bottom)
Cowell Theater
The Desire Line is the third and final installment of Slater’s trilogy inspired by the paintings of Alan Feltus. These intimate portrayals of women and men in formal, yet warmly human poses presented a rich challenge to Slater. In her words, “These cool paintings of everyday life break open to reveal the heat and heart just below the surface; they are studies of a moment — a moment when something is about to happen or has just happened — a revelation, a lie, a choice, an inaction — a moment in one’s life.” 
