Watching “Complexions” at the Joyce Theater was a novel experience for me. I’ve watched dance performances probably a hundred times before but never one in a setting like this. The fact that everything in the theater was copyrighted reminded me right off the bat that this wasn’t one of my old dance recitals but a real professional debut.

The first act, I have to admit, was particularly boring for me. Perhaps it was because I was expecting something more exciting than what I was given. I understood the ferocity in the dancers’ faces and their movements but nothing really stood out. Eventually, I shamelessly dozed off until intermission.

The second act was my favorite one. Maybe it was because I had just woken up from a nice ten minute nap but I think it was mostly because of the specific part of the act where one of the dancers was engaged in shadow dancing. While another couple was in the middle dancing, this lone dancer was dancing against a white background. The lighting emphasized his shadow against the background and it created this really cool simulation. Suddenly, it felt like the dancer wasn’t on stage but that he was in the back doing his own thing. There was also another part where all of the dancers got up and close to the edge of the stage. They were so close to the audience that you could hear their deep breathing loud and clear and watch drops of sweat glide down their faces. It was kind of disturbing to see this because I’m used to the classical ballet dancer: the ones that are in sync and perfectly composed. I think the choreographer purposely put this in to ignite some kind of feeling in the audience.

The third act was, without a doubt, the liveliest. In fact, if they had thrown in some singing, it could’ve easily been a musical. Not that I’m complaining. I love dancing that follows beats and rhythms because that is my comfort zone. Unfortunately, while exciting, the act loses points for originality.

All in all, it was a very different experience watching this dance performance in relation to my old dance recitals. I wouldn’t exactly pay to see this again but I’m glad I did.