The Arts in NYC Fall 2012

The Complexions Contemporary Ballet performance at the Joyce Theater was a wonderful and memorable experience not just for me, but probably for most in attendance this past Thursday evening. Complexions presented a dazzling show, Celebrate…Rising Stars in Dance, which not only satisfied the taste buds of some of the older attendees, but us, the ever-easily bored college students, as well in a beautifully organized and choreographed show.

First and foremost, the front-row seats were unbelievable. Indeed, not only could you see the drops of sweat gathering and glistening down the faces and backs of these incredibly talented dancers, you could also see who or what they were looking at and even hear them breathe as they effortlessly glided through the stage. It is one thing to see the dancers perform, but it is entirely another to see them think through and feel their performance – and even see very minor slip-ups.

One uncanny and instantly recognizable feature about these dancers was their intense passion and love for dance. I see a similar type of absolute infatuation with and intrinsic ability for an art when watching artists like Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, and other incomparable singers perform on stage. The men and women on stage that night were indubitably not just dancers or performers, but artists with the talent, drive, and dedication to dance. Whether having been part of Complexions for six years or a part of the New Orleans Ballet Association, there was not a single moment lacking athleticism, grace, and smoothness. It is clear that the company is well deserving of its several awards and notoriety in the world of dance and art.

Sidebar: The company’s Samantha Figgins was the most enjoyable dancer to watch – sorry, Ryan. She adapted to each performance effortlessly and has incredible skill. She was a definite stand out and, I would like to add, she has been with Complexions since 2011 only.

Back to the show itself. Admittedly, bringing all of the individual performances and moments that simply took my breath away back to memory is not a plausible feat for me at this time. I was not particularly stirred by the show’s opening, but founding artistic director and resident choreographer’s, Dwight Rhoden’s, small talk with the audience was quite enjoyable and prepared us all for a great show. I recall that the performance significantly picked up and lightened, however, following the intermission with “Pretty Gritty Suite” (2004). The bright costumes, up-beat music, and tambourines – besides the fabulous dancing of course – all came together and worked magnificently well. As Ben pointed out in his review, however, other performances such as the one to “I Put A Spell On You” were wonderfully choreographed and performed to a powerful song.

Previously, my only exposure to this genre of dance was watching the compellingly choreographed dance routines from the likes of Mia Michaels and Sonya Tayeh on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. Consequentially, and unsurprisingly, I was quite apprehensive about attending this performance – hearing some of our fellow classmates’ experiences did not exactly help me feel any better either! I worried that I would be unable to appreciate the kind of art contemporary dance is and that I would not even be able to truly comprehend what it was I was looking at and listening to. Fortunately, I was enthralled and moved by the performance in its entirety and am looking forward to bringing along a couple of friends to see Complexions at the Joyce Theater once again.

An unforgettable, electrifying, and simply beautiful performance, and piece of art, all New Yorkers should have the pleasure of admiring its “entirely new and exciting vision of human movement.” A must see.

– Salma