I have always had a deep reverence for tap dancing. I mean, when you break down each swift movement into individual fundamental components, you really begin to see how much hard work and dedication it takes to not only be a tap dancer but to tap dance in sync with other people.
Whilst watching Michelle Dorrance’s Myelination, I was incredibly intrigued by the group’s ability to match lithe movements and stay on beat with one another. Think about it — each person has to move their body in the same way at the same exact moment to produce the same exact sound in the same exact instant. That’s no easy feat, even if it had been rehearsed ad nauseam. To be on target each and every time requires agility and a deep understanding of a musical beat, and for that, I have a deep respect for their work.
Before seeing Dorrance and her team perform, I hadn’t ever considered the power of dance to evoke emotions. I hadn’t seen many dancers perform live in the past, so I was fairly disconnected from the idea that I could feel anything towards this art form. Dorrance and her team surely proved me otherwise. Throughout the entire performance, I felt about every human emotion possible, and I never would’ve believed that the mere tapping of a heel on the floor could make me feel anything at all. There was a distinct power that the mixing of instruments and the clicking against the floor produced, and it resonated throughout every fibre of my being. Combined with just the right movements, and just the right tempo, they managed to draw out a wide spectrum of emotions.
The one part that truly stands out to me was the scene with the girl flailing on the floor in agony with a guy strumming the same set of sinister notes over and over in the background. The low bass accompanied with the series of thrashing movements procured an eerie feeling that sent shivers up my spine. The backdrop changed to a dark red colour which only added to the feeling of fear that I could feel brewing in the pit of my stomach. It was truly unsettling — no words had to be spoken, and no story was required. Just the movements, the low octave bass, and the dark backdrop told everything that one needed to know — something very menacing is going on, and you should fear it.
There were more lighthearted parts, and the backdrop colour would always change to capture the aura of the particular dance. If it was a more carefree number, the backdrop would be a powdery blue colour, and it would switch often depending upon the tone of the routine. I was fascinated by the usage of shadows at certain points in the performance. Some of the dancers would dance behind the curtain and only their shadow could be seen. It gave off an air of mystery, and I think it was a fairly unique artistic choice, especially for some of the darker numbers where there was already a deep feeling of peril to begin with.
Even when the dancers were trying to be out of sync to produce a set of distinctive sounds, all of the clamour somehow tied together to create a unique beat. It was incredibly fascinating to me how the group would often break off into subsets and each group would have their own beat that they would repeatedly create. When all of them danced together, their individual sound joined together to form a single upbeat melody. It was still cohesive even if it appeared to be all over the place, and when everyone tapped in unison, that sense of harmony was further reinstated. Tap dancing has a remarkable ability to create order out of disorder, which is something I’d never really considered before.
All in all, Dorrance’s Myelination was definitely the highlight of the show for me. I clutched my friend’s hand during certain parts because it would get incredibly intense and often unpredictable. Considering the fact that I’m usually fairly quiet during shows, to get any rouse out of me at all is quite an accomplishment. Dorrance and her team should be very proud of the work they put into this number.
(And, of course, the same photo everyone else posted. We look cute.)
