Diving happily into 'DIVE BARN' at PS21

"Dive Barn" at PS21 Center for Contemporary Performance in 2025. It was successful, PS21 repeated the community experience. 

What’s better than a mild summer evening with a cloudless sky in a field of golden rod.

Little.

But add in some thoughtful dance and music in a natural amphitheater and what you get is a perfect late afternoon.

That’s what the Chatham community experienced on Sunday afternoon, courtesy of PS21 Center for Contemporary Performance. Lovers of dance are familiar with its outdoor amphitheater. But in recent years, the center has expanded its venue to encompass its entire 100 acres of orchards, fields and outbuildings. And they have done this without paving over and destroying nature. Kudos to PS21.

Sunday’s free show held sway in an old dairy barn that stands at the bottom of a hill. And above its large wooden door that revealed its stage sat countless people of all ages – lounging on blankets, chatting with neighbors and feasting on picnics.

They were gathered for two short works by dancer/choreographer Sayer Mansfield – one for her Tuesday Night Dance class and a duet in which she performed with Ashley Hill. In between, the late afternoon offered some music by guitarists/singer/songwriter Raena Jade. The program concluded with the expansive, electronic sounds of composer Elori Saxl.

The program, known as “DIVE BARN,” was sold out. But people kept coming. And what they witnessed was not anything particularly innovative and breathtaking. Instead, the dance artists offered an exploration of the unique space – a narrow and deep, sunbathed passageway into the barn.

But more than that, the whole scene radiated with a collective respect and gratitude for the artists, the audience and nature. It was one of those moments where everyone felt a little awed.

Of course, the reason for my presence was Mansfield’s dances “Group Work,” for about 35 dancers of all ages and variety of abilities, and her duet “not one or the other.”

“Group Work” was enchanting. Set to Julianna Barwick’s “Prizewinning” and William Basinski’s “dip 1.1.1,” the work pulsated with the number of people who moved in unison through this narrow, shadowy stage. At first, they just walked, back and forth, disappearing and reappearing from the hidden side stalls.

Then, they gathered close in the doorway – first just bouncing, then swaying, then flopping to one side. The sensation of the group solidarity was both hypnotic and eerie. It felt right and good, but also threatening. It fascinated without any fancy dancing.

The duet with Hill, to music by several artists including Buffy Saint Marie and Erik Satie, seemed to penetrate the other in all of us. The two – with the long-flying blonde hair – appeared like twins who were unified but struggled to cooperate.

Their initial movements were synchronized. But then after rolling back and forth, over and over, at the barn door’s edge, Mansfield broke away.  Hill stood and flung her arms and head in rebellion. Manfield returned and tried to dress her. It was impossible. Her clothes slipped to the floor.
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In the end, they returned to their harmony – but at what cost? “not one or the other” left one to ponder.