October 2, 2017- Clueless, I stood amongst the large crowd in front of New York City Center searching for familiar faces. Squishing between the horde of people, all anxious to enter the theater, I soon found my teacher and classmates. I was handed a thin ticket with, “FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL” inked into the center of it. In that moment, I was oblivious and unaware that this small piece of paper was my ticket to an unforgettable experience and a profound admiration for dance, which I once underappreciated.
I walked up a couple of steps and entered the pristine lobby. Awing the adorned ceilings, colossal staircases, and hanging lights, I thought the setting in which the event took place was a precursor that revealed what a high-class experience I was in for. Soon after, I took my seat in the right orchestra and waited for the show to begin.I must embarrassingly admit I did not have high expectations for the show and questioned how people could dance for hours. As the lights dimmed, the chit-chat diminished to silence, and the curtains opened, my initial beliefs of the show were proved wrong. Miami City Ballet opened the show with Polyphonia, where the dancers exhibited their extreme flexibility and intricate technique. Utterly impressed by the skills of the dancers, I found myself jaw-dropping and focusing on how pointed their toes were and how gracefully they were able to move balancing on just their toes. The shadow figures of the dancers which were projected and augmented on the white background behind were immaculate and cultivating. As the opening set came to an end, I was exhilarated for what else this festival had lined up.
Already in complete shock and astonishment from the performances from the Miami City Ballet, Vincent Mantsoe, and the Trisha Brown Dance Company, the showcase from Dorrance Dance left the audience beyond blown away. Myelination ranged from cool jazz scenes to mysterious, ominous ones. The different atmospheres and emotions that the dance provoked within me during their set led to my admiration for dance to manifest. Noticing the unity of the dancers, I began to recognize that all the performers had to fulfill the laborious task of having to memorize and making the same exact step for the entirety of the performance. The factor that distinguished tap dancing from the preceding dances is that the dancing became part of the music. The quick tapping became part of the catchy rhythm and melodies of the music. The other performances were dancing to music, however, the tap dancers helped produce the music, which enhanced the audience’s experience. Furthermore, another element of the performance that made it so praiseworthy was the diversity of performers. The performers differed in their gender, race, and heights; they were able to connect and put on a cohesive, intriguing show.
I walked into New York City Center feeling out of place, underdressed, and naïve about dance amongst the older crowd in their formal apparel but left enriched with a new understanding of dance. The Fall for Dance Festival had surpassed all my expectations and left me amazed with the story that dancers could tell with their body and motions. What makes dance such an interesting art form is the different interpretations and stories that a piece could retain. Overall, the Fall for Dance Festival does exactly what its’ name says and made me fall for dance.
