Dancing to Singing

In 2005, a sustained and intense obsession for the music of Regina Spektor began for me.  Her appearance on the scene in early March of that year with the major label release of Soviet Kitsch, months after the devastating events of November 2, 2004, reminded me a bit of the Beatles' debut on American television in February 1964 following the events of the prior November 22.  I didn't know you could still make art like that.  She didn't know you couldn't.  

As with the Beatles, Regina Spektor had a rich history that predated her public splash, and already an immense body of unrecorded work that was nevertheless bootlegged from shows and posted on YouTube.  Out of my awareness of this began a daily habit of checking YouTube for the latest videos tagged with her music.  It was through this obsession that I discovered and began "collecting" videos of choreography set to her songs.  

Whatever lack of authority I have on any of the subjects I write about (for some reason I'm drawn to them) goes double for dance, but I know what I like, and here is a sampling of it.

First, one of her earlier, lesser known songs, Buildings, beautifully choreographed (by Talia Robledo-Gil) and danced (by Dartmouth students).  This strikes me as just perfect.  

This dance (with choreography by Teddy Tedholm) captures the humor, the attitude (and horror) of Carbon Monoxide.

The dance to Open, below (choreographed by Erica Sobol), is as poetic, hypnotic, raw and devastating as the song.

(See also this version, which transcends the cheese of its setting)

In the solo category, the magical realism of Bon Idee is brought to life by Liz Lanning (choreography) and Effie Tutko (dance). 

Liv Horinouchi brings an assassin's skills to this performance of Oh Marcello:

Finally (for now):

If you've somehow found your way here without having heard the music of Regina Spektor, her latest album, Remember Us To Life, is as good a place as any to start.  Just released in October and full of brand new songs that rank among the best she's recorded, I'm looking forward to seeing the new art of all forms that they'll inspire.