The José Limón International Dance Festival at Joyce Theater consisted of three performances: Mazurkas, performed by sjDANCEco; Carlota, performed by Limón Dance Company; There is a Time, performed by American Repertory Ballet. While it was mainly an artistic performance using dance as its medium, it was heavily reinforced through the use of music. Sound acted as the amplifier, so to speak. In many cases, a performance, show, or display can be exhibited alone, though the presence of music or sounds can make a drastic difference. The introduction of sounds can turn a mere painting into an entire story, or can transform a video into an epic tale. However, this is not the only usage of introducing it. Music that accompanies a piece can fully flesh out the story, or completely change it. Dance is a strong example of an artistic piece that can have a drastically different tale with the proper music or sound accompanying.
The first dance performance, Mazurkas, had music that was very mellow, while also very calm and carefree. The movements of the dancers closely mirrored the rhythm of the music, working in unison. As the music sped up, so did the dancers. When certain tones or melodies were repeated, the dancers repeated the same motions. The morendo would be be closely followed by the dancers slowing down, and accelerando indicated that the dancers would speed up. Similarly, the tempo also slowed down when a couple began dancing. The music alternated to accommodate the dancer’s moods and actions, creating a symmetry between the two components of the show.
The second performance, Carlota, had no music included in it. The performance began with complete silence, followed by a woman screaming. After the prolonged and unexpected scream, there was no sound at all except the breathing and tapping of feet on the stage. While the music and melody was absent, this silence proved to be very powerful. However, the male dancers’ step dancing eventually drowned out all other sound. The louder the stepping got, the more intense the story told by the dancing was.
The final performance, There is a Time, did contain music, however it was not as static as the first performance. The sounds and music changed drastically throughout the entire performance, and the dances would change accordingly. This final performance showed how dominant and influential sounds can be during a performance. As the dancing changed, so did the accompanying sound, painting an intricate tale almost akin to a story. There was a crescendo, changes in scenery, a climax, and a diminuendo, making the final piece the most varied and powerful.
This performance was a testament to the fact that your sense of hearing can be very influential and dominant in determining how you will interpret things. The music and sounds during the performance helped tell a tale and make the performance come to life. Without this, it is very clear that the performance may have had a very different meaning.
