The variety and diversity of the performances we saw at Fall for Dance was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting to sit through two hours of classical ballet however as soon as I heard the first strains of music for Shivashtakam, I realized how wrong I was. Shivashtakam is an Indian dance that was preformed by a few dancers accompanied by four musicians. At first the dancers were dancing independently of each other but they quickly began interacting with each other. I was particularly fascinated by the musicians, their music and songs. A man was singing in an Indian language that the majority of the audience didn’t understand however it flowed with the music beautifully. The dance was beautiful and felt authentic, however I’m obviously not the best judge of that.
The second performance was a little more in line with my original expectations. Ballet is not my favorite type of dance however I could help but be amazed by the sheer physical talent it requires. Solo was an impressive performance that included many of the aspects I expected in a traditional ballet.
Locomotor was by far the most provocative performance. The beginning was extremely disconcerting due to the lack of music. I was especially uncomfortable at first because I could hear the dancers’ feet hitting the stage over and over again. Music generally covers this noise and I believe it was intentional, the lack of music and the smacking of the feet. This piece was confusing because it felt as if it was going backward the entire time. The dancers entered the stage backwards and throughout the whole performance there was a sense that you were missing something. It was confusing and disconcerting, as it created a sense of mystery. There was a particular scene in which two men danced together very sexually. It was emotionally charged and the coordination was unbelievable between the two men. My mouth was wide open throughout much of their duet because I couldn’t believe the physicality of what they were accomplishing. Their muscles could not have been more toned nor could they have been more in synch. I also found it particularly interesting that throughout the men’s dance there were women off to the side dancing together. They were not the main attraction and they came in and out throughout the entirety of the men’s collaboration. Although I didn’t love the entire dance it was impossible to deny how incredible it was. I found the partner part to be extremely powerful as well.
The last performance, Myelination, was by far my favorite. It was the most upbeat and also had musicians onstage. There were many performers and they worked together to create an amazing production. Myelination was a tap performance. As someone who has absolutely no rhythm, I am fascinated by anybody who can keep a beat like those dancers. It is beyond my imagination being able to dance like that and so I couldn’t keep my eyes off their feet and the magical music they were creating. The coordination and synchronization required for a routine like that is amazing and I would see that group again in a heartbeat.
