Hilary Easton speaks the language of dance, with an eloquence deeper and more complex than most current choreographers. Her works speak to issues of personal relevance in the complexity that the issues inherently invite but rarely receive, and
the distinctive insight that the language of dance provides. I find her works linger in my mind and body long after the impact of other choreographers’ work has faded. Even now, a week after seeing Easton's latest dance, The Reclamation, my hands form a series of the gestures that appear in it, my mind flips through a card deck of images from it, my felt-sense rises in specific memory.

The Reclamation investigates the relationship between humans and wild nature in a multi-dimensional way. On a readily accessible level, it reminds us of the ways in which nature will reclaim us, inexorably, one way or another over time. Vegetation will overtake our self-importance, elements will devour our fears. Even that relationship, seemingly one-directional, is rich with the promise of potential balance, and caution about imbalance.

The choreographic masterstroke that fascinated me was the inclusion of two actors in principal roles with the four dances. As well as the actors moved, the juxtaposition of their movement capacities with the fine dancers' movement spoke profoundly about the contrast of human-to-natural-beauty. Easton has provided the actors with text that poetically suggests the palette of views most people bring to the relationship with the wilderness. The combination of cautious, naively-controlling text and attractive but uninformed movement in the two actors in their sequences with the excellent ensemble brought me into the piece emotionally—we are both the human and have a relationship to that big nature. I also found it satisfying to interpret the work on an entirely intrapersonal level, noticing the inner dance of the wild parts in me interact with the civilized parts illuminated repeatedly. I came away refreshed by the raw force available in my own, often overlooked wild nature, overlooked at my own peril.

I must close with two notes of beauty. The choreography of the dancers is fresh, surprising, achingly beautiful sometimes, and elegantly cohesive in this hourlong piece. I spend a lot of time in the wilderness and was stunned to see so many of its aspects captured lovingly and unsentimentally. The original score by Thomas Cabaniss is elegantly beautiful, neither raw nor civilized, it is a gracious landscape that sets off the features in its forground. His many years of collaboration with Easton are on full display in The Reclamation, as his simple often-haunting simplicity (wth an exception in the frightening section on kudzu), supports the ambition and arc of the dance as only confident collaborators can.

I was continually surprised by The Reclamation, continually grateful for its insights through dance into the wildnerness experience, and I continue to enjoy the piece continuingly, long after. It is inspiring to see dance work on so many levels at once, and honor its very language.