The Dictatorship of Youth

Three middle-aged dancers retake center stage for the Glue Factory Project

A A A Comments By Caroline Palmer Wednesday, Feb 9 2000

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Mathis replies with a hint of envy in her genial tone: "How about me looking at you?"

For Buraczeski the changes have resulted in occasional lapses of confidence. He recalls a recent crisis involving a favorite solo. "It made me want to stop dancing. I started to question whether my leg was high enough. Every step of the way I was outside looking in, which is the worst place to be. It was so frightening. I called Daniel Nagrin"--another veteran dancer of Broadway, now in his 70s--"and he told me to get someone I really trust to watch. I got [former Jazzdance member] Cathy Young. She reminded me of all the initial impulses. I truly thought this was the end. I can deal with the pain. It was the lack of being able to be present that scared me."

Methuselah awaits? Bonnie Mathis (left), Danny Buraczeski, and Beth Corning

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"My hope for this project," says Corning, a sense of righteousness entering her tone, "is that a younger person can see that things don't end at 30. In dance you're surrounded by mirrors, metaphorical or not. We aren't allowed to age gracefully. We're inundated by youth. I just hope the audience looks at us and says--"

Buraczeski interrupts, "What are they, nuts?"

Corning laughs and tosses back her retort: "No, look at the beauty. That's part of being in a continuum."

It's Mathis, however, who delivers the philosophical parting shot: "You never know you're part of a continuum until you get older."

stumbling towards hindsight runs Thursday through Sunday, February 10-13 at Theatre de la Jeune Lune; (612) 333-6200.

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