Art of the State

Dance if you want to

casebolt & smith

Photo/Allison Young

For many people, the problem with modern dance is that it’s so … modern. There seems to be by Jessica Santina no method to its madness. Despite the skill it obviously requires, it appears to contain odd, frenetic moves laden with symbolism that seem unreadable by all but a select few. If that’s how you feel, casebolt & smith, appearing this weekend during the University of Nevada’s Spring Dance Concert, might be for you. unR’s spring Dance Best friends Liz Casebolt and Joel Concert is in the Smith, both college dance instructors in Church Fine Arts Building, unR, 1664 n. Virginia st., on May Southern California, formed their modern dance duo casebolt & smith in 2006 as a 1, 2 and 3 at 8 p.m., way to explore their shared commitment to and sunday, May 4 the artistry and experimentation of modern at 2 p.m. For more information, visit caseboltandsmith. dance, in a way that’s accessible to all. “We reveal the creative process as well wordpress.com. as expose some of the tropes of dance making, and even occasionally poke fun at how overly serious modern dance can be,” they commented in an email interview. “We have a great love for the art form, but are sometimes bothered by its need to take itself so seriously and its tendency to alienate a non-dance audience.”

Describing their work is tough: They talk and dance, often ironically, riffing off each other and occasionally improvising, and the audience is invited to laugh at their self-awareness. For instance, in their latest show, O(h), as Smith circles the stage making exaggerated, flamboyant gestures, Casebolt sings into the mic, “Every dance show needs a gay break, watch the gay boy dancin’ all around the stage.”

“We often use speaking and dancing as a way of revealing our process—sometimes telling the audience what we are doing as we do it, sometimes questioning our choices in the dance—as part of the dance,” they explain. “We spend a lot of time in rehearsal discussing what is possible, and how different ways of moving or interacting read to an audience, and the conversation often finds its way into the work.”

Challenging conventional notions of gender, the two dress in a gender-neutral way, in matching pin-stripe suits or shirts, for example.

“We aren’t interested in showing a ‘traditional’ male/female duet—one that normally places the man in a position of power, while the woman’s role is to be lifted and manipulated. We work to find democracy in our partnership.”

Rosie Trump, assistant professor of dance in UNR’s Department of Theater and Dance, was instrumental in bringing them to Reno, not only to perform but to work in residence with dance students this semester.

She says the approachability of casebolt & smith for any audience member is exciting.

“Sometimes modern dance can be seen as almost self-indulgent, and they poke fun at that,” says Trump. “They can be political a bit, too, dealing with issues like being a woman or gay man in dance, or the politics of the dance community, but in a light way. … It doesn’t hit you over the head. It’s smart, but you don’t have to have a lot of knowledge about dance to enjoy it.”

The duo choreographed a student performance of approximately 10 minutes, which, along with pieces by Trump and other dance faculty and their own 60-minute performance of O(h), will comprise the full Spring

Dance Concert.

The key tenet of comedic improv— the principle of always answering “yes, and …” when provided with a cue—became a focal point of casebolt & smith’s choreography process.

“‘Yes, and’ is about agreement, about furthering the scene by not denying the moment,” they explain. “As we worked with the students, we gave each other permission to insert our ideas and opinions wherever we were inspired to, and set up the challenge for ourselves of always saying ‘yes’ to the other person’s input.”

The Spring Dance Concert is also an opportunity for a sneak peek at the newly renovated Proscenium Theatre at UNR’s Church Fine Arts Building, which officially will be unveiled in fall. Ω

Dancers rehearse for the University of Nevada, Reno's upcoming Spring Dance Concert.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

The federal Fair Housing Act allows people with disabilities to request reasonable accommodations that will provide an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling. Examples of reasonable accommodations include:

■ Waiving a “no pets” policy to allow service animals (including companion, therapeutic, comfort animals) ■ Waiving “pet” fees, deposits, and weight restrictions for service animals ■ Providing a reserved parking stall ■ Transferring from an upstairs unit to the ground floor

There must be an identifiable relationship between the requested accommodation and the individual’s disability. If you would like additional information or, believe you have been a victim of housing discrimination, contact:

Silver State Fair Housing Council

775.324.0990 ■ 888.585.8634 toll-free ■ Relay Nevada 711 ■ fairhousing@ssfhc.org ■ www.ssfhc.org

25 Years of ensuring equal housing opportunity in Nevada (1989 - 2014)

Federal and State fair housing laws prohibit discrimination in housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, family status, disability, ancestry, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. Funding for this announcement was provided by a grant from Washoe County in its effort to affirmatively further fair housing for all residents of the County.

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Thai me up

Sawasdee Thai

2855 N. McCarran Blvd., 359-3009

I’ve loved Thai food from my first forkful over 20 years ago. Thai food is a wild ride of flavors that perhaps shouldn’t work, but can be completely amazing in the hands of a practiced chef. Thankfully gone are the dark days when the Reno area had but one or two options for pad Thai and satay (or, heaven forbid, no options at all). Now there are so many good choices, it takes real talent, technique, and customer service to standout. Sawasdee Thai Restaurant is doing a pretty good job on all fronts. My wife and I had heard good things, so we ordered our favorite entrees as a means of measuring this new experience against those we’ve tried. Then, to mix it up, we ordered three appetizers that are common to Thai menus but new to us. First to the table, fresh spring rolls (two for $5.95). I’m a big fan of the Vietnamese variety, yet somehow I’d never tried the Thai version. Sawasdee wraps a mix of vegetables and your choice of veggie, shrimp, avocado or mango—we ordered shrimp—in a sheet of moistened rice paper, cut in half and served with peanut sauce. The most notable difference from a Vietnamese spring roll is the lack of vermicelli noodles in the Thai variety. They replace the noodles with more vegetables, especially cucumber. The rolls had a very fresh, garden flavor. The peanut sauce was outstanding, completely opposite the thinned-out peanut butter often served in quick-service noodle shops. Thai peanut sauce usually

includes some combination of (ground) roasted peanuts, coconut by milk, lime juice, soy sauce, fish Todd South sauce, Thai chili, ginger root, garlic, cilantro, and perhaps some individual flair added by the chef. I’m guessing all of the above were present, made fresh by an expert at turning peanuts into something extraordinary. Next came the golden triangles (six for $7.95), which the menu describes as minced fish and cream cheese inside deep-fried flour tortillas served with cucumber peanut relish. Although I didn’t detect any fish flavor, these crispy-yet-soft triangles paired very well with the relish. You’d never know a tortilla was involved, as the texture and flavor is more reminiscent of puff pastry. This most excellent appetizer is reason enough for a return visit. Last on the appetizer parade were stuffed chicken wings (two for $7.95). Two chicken wings, bones removed, were separated into four portions, stuffed with ground pork, shrimp, clear noodle, shiitake mushroom, bell pepper, and carrot. They are then battered, deep-fried and served with a sweet chili sauce (great blend of sweet and heat), resulting in something more sausage-like than expected. My wife didn’t love these as much as the triangles, but I’d definitely order them again. As for our entrees, there were only a couple of missteps. First, the portions were noticeably smaller than what we’ve received elsewhere for the same price. Not by a lot, but smaller. One could consider this somewhat of a blessing, being we’d pigged out on appetizers. Second, the noodles in my dish were chopped up, whereas I prefer noodles long enough to roll with a fork. However, the flavor and texture of both dishes were outstanding. My wife said the chicken pumpkin curry was perfect ($10.95), on a par with that served at her usual favorite in south Reno. My combo pad Thai was delicious ($11.95), with some of the best stirfry shrimp I’ve ever had. Shrimp is really easy to ruin, with about a 30 second window between turning a tender, delicious morsel into a hard piece of rubber. The other meats were done just right, but that shrimp will haunt my dreams until I go back for more. Ω

Photo/Alliso N You Ng

Gib Kanonjan works in the Sawasdee klitchen.

sawasdee thai Restaurant is open Monday-saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.