Bruce Wood Dance Project’s ‘Touch,’ the final work by North Texas’ most acclaimed choreographer, will stand only part of his legacy
Bruce Wood by Brian Guilliaux
When Bruce Wood — the Fort Worth son of a football coach who rose to prominence in the ballet world before starting two acclaimed dance troupes in North Texas (Bruce Wood Dance Company and Bruce Wood Dance Project) — died suddenly last week at age 53, it sent shockwaves throughout the entire arts community. A tireless worker, Wood was only two weeks away from debuting his latest work, Touch, which will open (as scheduled) at City Peformance Hall this week.
While Touch — which consists of three original works, including Home, The Only Way Through is Through and the eponymous world premiere — will no doubt be regarded as an historic part of his legacy (the company has officially designated it as a memorial celebration), the impact Wood had — on the arts, on his friends, on dancers and colleagues — extends far beyond the walls of a performance venue.
To honor Wood, we asked his friends and associates to weigh in on what Wood meant to them, as a person, as an artist, as a friend, as a leader. Here are some of their reactions to the passing of a giant in the world of dance.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
Touch at City Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St. June 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. $15–$100. 214-428-2263. BruceWoodDance.org.
………………………………………………..
WHITE RABBIT | A performance of the piece ‘White Rabbit’ from ‘Red,’ Bruce Wood’s last production at City Performance Hall. (Photo courtesy Brian Guilliaux)
I was Bruce Wood’s right arm for four years and had the extraordinary privilege of being there by his side as he created works, envisioned future works, challenged his artistic sensibilities, and practiced like a silent warrior. B. lived one foot in the present and the other in the future. He was always busy on what was coming next. His art was evolving and growing into new realms of dance-making. My Brother’s Keeper was simply a groundbreaking masterpiece –– an all male, multigenerational cast of actors/dancers/singers from 18-78 years of age. B.’s next work was going to be a new version of Appalachian Spring expressing the struggles and hopes of the American Dust Bowl of 1930s. He planned to create it on a mixed cast of dancers, singers, actors and have it performed to live chamber music. And for this June show, he was working on studies for Touch — that latter would be developed into an evening long work for the BWDP five-year celebration in 2015. What a unique voice that resonated, resounded and invigorated appreciation for dance. His dances touched our lives and left lasting impressions. I’m grateful and in awe. A person of his caliber passes through our lives maybe once. He touched mine. I was blessed to be there right by his side for this extraordinary journey. I’m proud to call him my partner and best friend. B. was truly awesome and his star shines brightly.
— Gayle Halperin, producer, BWDP
Losing Bruce is a blow — a hard punch to the gut that has left us gasping. Bruce was easy to admire; he’s impossibly hard to lose. His important imprint on dance survives him, and that’s all fine. But it’s not enough: I’m still in mourning, grieving not only Bruce but the works he won’t create. Gone. How devastating for us all!
— Jac Alder, artistic director/co-founder, Theatre 3
Each time I watched one of Bruce’s works, there was always that moment when the dance worked its magic and I was moved. Whether his choreography spoke quietly with vulnerability and tenderness or powerfully with courageous determination, Bruce’s eloquent ability to tell his tale filled me with emotion and understanding of the human spirit.
— Linda James, BWDP board member and dance faculty of
Booker T. Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts
Bruce and I met in Austin and worked together for 18 years. For as long as I can remember, Bruce has been one of my favorite choreographers to collaborate with. Every time a new work was being created, we would have a short conversation. He would usually have an initial visual idea that would hook me into how I would approach lighting the new work. And if he struggled or was stumped by an idea, his works would always speak to me and I’d give him an option. His brilliance as a choreographer, his musical choices and his sensitivity to artful pictures still brings me to tears and joy.
— Tony Tucci, lighting designer, BWDC and BWDP
Much has been said about the breadth of Bruce’s talent, but what set him apart was his work ethic. He said it so often it was practically a mantra: If you aren’t willing to put in the work, all the talent in the world won’t save you. He was a legendary taskmaster but he worked harder than anyone and set the standard for those around him. Working for someone of his caliber was immensely satisfying.
— Deborah Barr, production and stage manager, 1997–present
Bruce will be greatly missed as a friend, choreography and a great leader in the dance field. He has choreographed several ballets for Dallas Black Dance Theatre including Smoke with music by Ray Charles and a favorite solo On the Edge of My Life set on principal dancer Nycole Ray. We are all sadden by his death but each have wonderful memories of the enjoyable times we shared. Our hearts go out to his mom whom he loved dearly, his sister and brother.
— Ann Williams, founder, Dallas Black Dance Theatre
Bruce was my dance mentor, but not in a “you should or shouldn’t” kind of a way — rather, in a “trust in yourself as I do” kind of a way. He was extremely stern and loving at the same time. Always asking for the very best of you, then demanding just a little bit more. I trusted him in every way. As a choreographer, a teacher of life and as my dear friend. He would say “I will make you beautiful, trust me,” and I would know that to be the absolute truth. One of my favorite things he would ask me was, “Do you like your dress?” — costume — which I always did, and he would say “That’s good … Every dancer chick deserves nice dresses.” He was honest about everything, with his feelings and honest about his work. I think he prided himself in that. I loved his work, he was beyond brilliant, and I adored him immensely.
— Nycole Ray, protege and artistic director, Dallas Black Dance Theatre II
Bruce was a warrior and fought the battle with HIV every day of his life. It was always present in his work. Unforuntately, we lose sight of the fact that the fight is far from over.
– John Ahrens, costume designer for BWDC and BWDP
Before I had ever met Bruce, he had his company in Fort Worth, and his dancers would constantly say to me, “Please talk to Bruce and start photographing his works!” I always replied, ” Bruce and I will work together when we are supposed to.” At least 12 years passed and via serendipity, we started working together constantly I have photographed the art of dance for 25 years and I must say, creating images with the BWDP has been the most special and sincere. My favorite place to photogragh his works was from the wings, though his choreography is beautiful from any angle — you could walk in a circle on stage during a rehearsal and it always looked right. At a rehearsal recently, I was trying to describe what his movement felt like to me. I told him that it was “like creating a painting without ever lifting the brush.” Draw a drawing (to music) without ever lifting the pencil and you will understand. Our last photoshoot — the day after Bruce died — was beyond difficult, but Bruce wanted us to press on and continue. I am honored to be a part of such a family as the BWDP.
— Brian Guilliaux, photographer
One of the reasons that working with Bruce was a more delightful experience for me than it has been with any other choreographer is that I trusted him. People talk about how good he was at finding his dancers’ strengths and using them — how he made all his dancers look good. But there was something deeper than that which made it easy for me to trust him. He was far less interested in impressing people than he was interested in impacting them. In all his work, he prioritized the impact he might have on people’s lives, and that made his dances tremendously rewarding for both his dancers and his audiences.
— Kimi Nikaidoh, dancer with BWDC and BWDP
Bruce has been a major part of my life for the past 16 years, and he is missed tremendously by us all. He taught me to be a passionate, graceful artist, and working with Bruce truly changed my life. As a choreographer, Bruce always asked us dancers to dig deeper with our artistry and to bring a humanness to our performance. His work calls his audience to ask questions that bring you to the heart and soul of who we are. That consistent link to humanity is why I love Bruce’s work. Often his corrections in rehearsals were to not to make a specific movement simply because that was the choreography. Instead, what is the meaning behind that movement? How would a person in real life react in this particular situation? Dancing for Bruce with BWDC was an experience that I will relish forever. The entire company was bound together because of the daily inspiration from Bruce’s teachings. I feel very fortunate that I was also able to work with him as rehearsal director for BWDP for two years. This was an opportunity to connect with him and to understand his choreography in a deeper way. The legacy of Bruce’s choreographic work must continue. I could not be more thankful to have known and worked with such a brilliant man. Those of us who danced for him became better artists, and I know he touched countless lives with his choreography. We are all better because we knew Bruce Wood.
— Christie Sullivan, dancer, BWDC 1999–06, rehearsal director, BWDP 2011-12
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 6, 2014.
