“We were astounded. Audience members bounced out of their seats for a standing ovation and Amy O’Neal had shown to all of us what it is like to truly step through fear.”
In the Fray is a darkly humorous dance solo of foolish internal fights, concocted struggle, and personally forged weapons, inspired by Ninja lore, mortality fear, and fear of the feminine body.
Choreography, performance, styling, set design, lighting design, and sound curation: Amy O’Neal
Premiere: Northwest New Works Festival, On the Boards, Seattle WA June 5-6 2010
Writings on In the Fray
In the Fray Gosh, where do I start with this. How about I start with the fact that both my companion and I cried from the sheer moving intimacy of the piece. It is unlike anything I have ever seen on stage and has set a new standard for me of what can be done with movement art. Amy O’Neal starts with what seems like is going to be a rather traditionally built presentation; some mysterious lighting, movement on the floor and a blindfold. However, she segues soon onto a red rectangle stage right and launches into some rather fierce krumping to a bombastic and huge soundtrack. This is very reminiscent of her small 4 x 4 foot stage pieces of hip hop that she is known for. If you don’t know these pieces you simply must find them on You Tube for they are important. Throughout the krumping, I could see that Amy was beginning to cry and that was very unsettling because the force of her dancing was bringing real tears out and not stage tears. Something mercurial was happening. Amy moves again from the rectangle to a lighted basin on stage, cleans herself, reveals a wonder woman costume and moves back to center stage for the most vulnerable 8 minutes of movement performance I have ever witnessed. It would feel vulgar to me to describe it in detail. Do know that it involves Amy claiming her own power as a woman, a surprising amount of nudity and a hot pink Japanese ninjato sword. This was the first time this piece has been performed in front of a live audience and that was very evident. Amy was visibly emotionally shaken but fully present. Not a sound came from the audience. Everyone was transfixed until Amy herself broke the ice with some humor and owned the audience. We were astounded. Audience members bounced out of their seats for a standing ovation and Amy O’Neal had shown to all of us what it is like to truly step through fear.
Shango Los, On the Boards Blog, 2010
AMYO/TINYRAGE’s In The Fray from it’s striking blindfolded opening to it’s dizzying flashlight finale was a stunner throughout. Amy O’Neal’s solo portrays wounds and strength with equal ferocity. She makes the transition from slow-motion opening to frenetic krump-style outbursts not just fluid but completely transfixing. It made me swear.
Joe Von Appen, On the Boards Blog 2010