Review of Yogamotion
by Karen Kefauver
Saturday, October 5, 2002

Laurie Broderick Burr's Yogamotion dance troupe opened its three-performance run in front of a packed house Friday night at the Veteran's Hall auditorium in Santa Cruz. After a two-year hiatus, the talented group of men and women, directed and choreographed by Broderick-Burr, returned to wow the audience with a full two-hour show consisting of 11 distinct pieces.

Set to a variety of music, including Sarah McLachlan, Cirque du Soleil and Mickey Hart, the dancers performed intricately choreographed moves which combined yoga and dance, and showcased their explosive energy, grace and flexibility. The dancers were nimble and in awesome shape, clearly excelling in stage and dance skills.

The show both opened and closed on a powerful note, literally - with the otherwordly harmonies of a cappella music performed by the women's trio, DisMoi. Their flawless voices set the tone for an outstanding performance by the troupe. Yogamotion's best yet in a full scale show.

The talented troupe performed two solos, a thoughtful piece by director Broderick Burr and and a unique chair solo by Keri Peterson. The solos were skillfully placed between high energy pieces such as A Few Good Men, performed by the troupe's five men and Happy Girlz, performed by five women. The results were a well-paced blend of energetic and pensive pieces.

Other highlights included a shoulderstand piece - where the trio of women spent the majority of the time up-side-down in an intriguiing act that was riveting in its grace and skill.
A piece called Prana created a light comic note - intentional or not? - with the involvement of a group of children, all happy young yogis.

Overall, the show was of superior quality and demonstrated astonishing finesse and attention to detail in costume, lighting and staging. Broderick-Burr successfully balanced a blend of fast-paced pieces, with slower more pensive ones, included a variety of musical styles and touches of wonderful humor and whimsy. Hats off to Yogamotion! Don't miss their next show!

Karen Kefauver is a freelance writer based in Santa Cruz and a frequent contributor to the San Jose Mercury News and the Santa Cruz County Sentinel. She can be reached at www.karenkefauver.com