THE BLAKE AND BABA SHOW
1:00 PM, Sat., 2/28
10:00 PM, Sat., 2/28
2:30 PM, Sun., 3/1
8:30 PM, Sat., 3/7
Dianna’s North (826 N. Fulton St.)
$7
Its Blake…Its Baba…Its everyone’s Rogue favorites together for the first time! Don’t miss this off-kilter kinetic-theater collaboration by the groups that brought you the award winning “Sprawlzilla” and “Lost and Found on the 99″. Taking you from the mundane to the mystical you’ll realize you actually do like modern dance! Be the first to hear Blake Jones’ live avant pop soundtrack and find out what the Babettes need to confess. If that’s not enough temptation, Donna, the exercise maven, is back to show you how to get fit without that pricey gym and you’ll experience the musical instrument designed to be a Russian spy tool.
BABA for Now and Blake Jones
www.myspace.com/babadances
www.myspace.com/trikeshop
Fresno, California
Genre: multi-media
Rating G 60 minutes
Latecomers permitted within 15 Minutes
Filed under: 2/28 Saturday, 3/1 Sunday, 3/7 Saturday, Dianna's North
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9 Responses to “THE BLAKE AND BABA SHOW”
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* The Rogue celebrates the freedom of expression and we encourage you to review as many shows as you can catch at Rogue 2009. However, "flaming" (i.e. personal insults, name calling, etc) are not reviews and any such comments will be deleted.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I’m really looking forward to performing this work. I’ve never done anything like it before.
It’s very much a collaboration. It’s dance. It’s music. And, thanks to the incredible amount of work
and skill the Baba troupe put into this, *hightly* entertaining—-a potent combo.
Come hear the new music. See the new dance. Enjoy a *very* Rogue-spirted event from two groups
that you’ve enjoyed seperately in the festival for years now.
Special thanks to Leland Vander Poel and Scott Nielsen for adding their talents to the live music!
February 24th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
I had the great honor of playing music for Kara and Andrea’s group many years ago, whatever my contribution was worth that long ago. I don’t recall if it was even called BABA back then. Ran into them the other day while they were practicing and it was just as I remembered: wonderfully energetic… unleashed sprites running about… I’m always fascinated by the freedom and the child-like abandon in their dancing.
May the artistic endeavors of us all be imbued with such fearless experimentation and boundless joy, those parts of our humanity we all seem to forget as we age.
March 1st, 2009 at 4:56 pm
I am a HUGE Baba for Now fan. Always will be. From the time they started, they’ve defined what a great fringe festival show should be…eclectic, mixed-media, and fun. They mix dance, music (LIVE this time, mostly, with Blake’s original music), cool lighting, props, and projections. These are locals coming together to create fun stuff, and I’ll always like them and support them.
Now. Having said that, it’s time for some tough love.
I really enjoyed the addition of the live music…it sounded great, and I wished all of their music had been live (some was pre-recorded). And in years past, I really have loved their use of hand-held lights, office chairs, funny workout videos, and big pilates balls.
In years past.
While Baba might have thought bringing out all that old stuff was kind of a ‘greatest hits,’ I’m going to say it was more ‘calling it in.’ This group has shown themselves to be unique, modern artists…I’ll never forget the combination of oranges and sterile outfits and projections and recorded dialogue mixed with live dialogue and Fresno references. It was original and eclectic and unique and wonderful.
I found this first couple of numbers today to be lively and enjoyable, but then they showed the far too long SNL sketch projected movie. Just a movie. No mixed media, no dancing in front of projections…and worse, the movie was a rehash of last year’s theme. It was so long, the projectionist had to pull up his Windows screen to start the SECOND half of the same skit.
Another note: There were a LOT of little kids there. The show is certainly PG, and I think kids should be exposed to dance and music, but looking at their little faces propped on open hands as little bums skittled back and forth revealed to me that this show might not be the most fun for them. They (and I) loved the first two numbers, were bored by the projected movie (save for the funny lady trying to climb on the trampoline), and by the end, were hard-pressed to applaud.
I felt the same way…little kid that I am.
I’m a HUGE Baba and Blake fan. But for next year? I’m calling you out. Bring back the creative inspiration that brought you where you are today…please?
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:36 am
Saw this show Sunday and loved it. I’ve never seen the company before, so the energy and style were new to me. I thought the choreo was innovative and inspired, and the dancing told its story pretty clearly. The video segment DID go on a little too long for my taste. I’ve been recommending people to see this show - one more performance left during week 2.
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:30 am
The creativity of this group blew me away! Since I hadn’t seen them before, I was entranced by the inventive use of office chairs, lights, exercise balls, and all the rest. Even though the video jumped around too much for my taste, and was very repetitive, and the music awfully loud, the total performance was amazing and delightful. Definitely worth seeing.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Great news for those who liked the show but had issues with the DVD-you can see the new and improved and shortened version at our last performance Sat Mar 1 8:30pm! Thanks for all the enthusiasm!
March 4th, 2009 at 9:51 am
BABA & Blake! How great is it to see “grownups” dancing and dancing so well and with such energy. Their show was definitely a Rogue highlight for me. I found each of the dancers compelling and each of the dances was simply fun to watch. I don’t know which was the more pleasant surprise; BABA’s inventive light/movement creations or Blake Jones & company’s amazing music. This music certainly stands on its own but when melded with the BABA visuals it’s HOT. I am a fan of both of these creative troupes for as long as they’ll have me!
March 4th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
“man, this is the greatest show EVER” … at least that’s what I hope to say Saturday night
March 4th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Blake,
I haven’t seen your show yet, but I plan to. I thought I would post the review you got from Margaret Hudson. She cornered me the other day at the staff meeting and told me all about your show and how impressed she was. She had a great time, finally seeing how all your hard work payed off.
“They’re wonderful, fantastic dancers! … You should go see them.” - Margaret Hudson
So there you have it, from Margaret to all of you!