Bebe Miller’s Crash Course: a Step Beyond

What can you learn in a two-hour crash course with one of the most inventive minds in contemporary dance?

“New ideas,” said Zoe Crenshaw, a dance student from the School of Creative and Performing Arts.

“It’s enough just to see her sense of movement,” said Terry Sprague, a familiar face on the local dance scene and one of two dozen workshop students that crowded Sushi’s downtown studio for a morning session with New York-based dancer Bebe Miller. “Bebe Miller just knocks me out.”

T. C. Golez lacks the modern technique to mimic all of Miller’s quirky moves, but she said there’s still plenty to be gained from the exposure: “You can always learn something , even if it’s just her teaching style. I’m not good enough to keep up with Bebe, but as soon as I saw how she moved, I knew I wanted to learn it.”

Amerigo Anderson, an aspiring dancer, never misses an opportunity to work with visiting artists.

“You learn a new sense of movement because each teacher is different,” Anderson said.

Debi Toth, a busy local dancer, just wanted to “experience someone else’s style” when she showed up at Sushi for this workshop. But Toth got more than she bargained for in Miller’s quickie course.

“She’s very clear and easy to learn from, and her movement is so new and fresh--very contemporary. It was great.”

What brought newcomer Al Germani to the workshop when he is trying to organize a dance troupe of his own?

“That one, right here,” he said, pointing to Miller. “I met her the last time she was in San Diego. Just watching her musical phrasing and her professionalism--that little thing. It’s inspirational.”

Added Sprague, “It’s like describing a painting. It’s hard to say why you like it.”

Difficult to describe, perhaps, but not hard to admire. Although Miller’s stage persona is intense and emotion-charged, her teaching style is low-key and supportive.

“You can let it all out in all directions,” Miller told the class as she put them through their paces during warm-ups. “Take your time, and find out how it’s happening in your body.”

The phalanx of dancers in this makeshift class started out with layers of rehearsal togs, then began peeling them off as the non-stop session heated up.

“What I’m looking for,” said Miller, “is a sense of ease and movement. Use that motion to define where you are in space. You really have to move your spine so your legs won’t have to do all the work.”

“I wish I had a teacher like this all year,” said Cate Bell, president of the San Diego Area Dance Alliance. “This reminded me of being in New York and having good teachers. I’m very eager for modern dance.”

Sprague was just as enthusiastic when she described her reaction to Miller.

“Her body is really expressive but not contrived. In ballet, you have to hold the position, but she lets things go in all directions. You can also learn a lot about weight shifts. You don’t see these subtleties around here. And her choreography is so down to earth--it’s wonderful.”

For Stage Seven-trained ballet dancer Lisa First, Miller’s style was a new challenge.

“I just never took a modern class before,” First said. “This is a great introduction. I love it.”

Elizabeth Harper, an ex-New York dancer trying to find a niche in San Diego, wasn’t quite ready for this intense workout.

“I’m out of shape as a dancer, so it was frustrating--but good.”

Miller, a two-time winner of the coveted “Bessie” award for creativity in choreography, gave a grueling two-hour session, describing each point succinctly, then dancing along with the group in her idiosyncratic contemporary style. Many teachers hold back on their own participation after demonstrating the moves, but this bundle of energy in spaghetti-string braids was as turned-on as her new disciples.

Shoulders shimmied, torsos vibrated, legs lunged sideways or swiveled in strong curvilinear rotations. Arms flailed vigorously, hands hacked at the air, and heads bobbed--often in opposition to the thrust of the movement.

Gradually, the combinations started to take shape, and the group found itself dancing a snippet from Miller’s latest work, “The Hell Dances,” performed by Miller and her company at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Sherwood Auditorium on Friday night.

The choreography bristled with disjointed motions and lightning-quick changes of direction, leaving many of the dancers gasping for air as they came to a temporary halt. One exhausted-looking student denied she had run out of gas when she stepped to the side. “I just ran out of room.”

Nevertheless, when the dancers had completed a taxing floor-bound routine, their mentor had to coax them up.

“Sorry, but it says two hours, so you’re stuck,” Miller said.

Nobody quit the class before the appointed hour, however, except for two women who rather reluctantly had to dash off to work.