LEIF NORMAN Enlarge Image

From Paula Blair’s Run For It.

Paula Blair’s Run for It had some inspired moments — but ultimately, it was too subdued

An old adage that applies to any manner of art-making is to write — or paint, or choreograph, or film or compose — what you know. Winnipeg choreographer/performer Paula Blair bases her semi-autobiographical show Run for It on her own "web of suspended moments" that, in turn, may be interpreted in a myriad of ways.

A strong company of dancers, including Blair, Nicole Coppens, Farrah Fernando, Hélène Le Moullec Mancini, Paige Lewis, Robyn Thomson Kacki and Kyla Wallace, as well as Brent Lott, artistic director of Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers, performed the one-hour show on June 27 and 28.

Run for It is a show within a show. It begins with Blair stating, "I’m going to tell you the story of my story" while reading aloud as though from a diary. Core images of isolation and separation are immediately established, as individual dancers dressed in simple black tunics and leggings suddenly appear onstage like satellites in a constellation of time.

Many shows take themselves too seriously, but not this one. Blair adds levity with touches of ironic wit and whimsy woven throughout the production. Her series of vignettes with Lott, in which the two mug, scrap, wildly gesticulate and ultimately search for direction — both literal and metaphorical — punctuate the larger work with keen comic timing.

There are many likeable moments in this production — but therein lies the rub. A show based on singular modalities of time needs creative glue to hold it together and keep it from feeling fragmented. Too many silences and/or quieter sections in Run for It sapped its energy, resulting in an overly subdued show. An original electronic score by Noah Wadephul added ambience but began to lull. The bare stage — albeit with periodic video projections — also underscored the stark reality of it all. The moment when the diary is dropped onstage felt like a natural, dramatic close to the piece; the fact that it wasn’t only resulted in a false ending.

But there were exceptions. A gorgeous starry backdrop transformed the stage into an inky night with dancers appearing like twinkling stars. Their vocalized hushed "wish," spoken like a mantra as they swung their arms, evoked childhood dreams. Another shorter section in which a pair of dancers crawled on all fours with another dancer slung over their back was surprisingly powerful, suggesting the weight of time and burden of memory.

Blair is a gifted artist who invites viewers along for a playful, imaginative ride. However, more dynamic punch would have provided greater contrast, allowing her gentle imagery to resonate even louder. Just as her characters yearned for direction, a clearer focus would have made Run for It a show you’d like to see stick around for a while.