The Fall for Dance Festival at the New York City Center featured dance performances of all styles. It was combination of techniques and choreography; hence festival is an appropriate term describing it. When we got there, the scene was almost chaotic. Crowds were lined up all over the sidewalk, pushing many people onto the streets. The audience was definitely excited for the performance. They all seemed to be in the culture of watching such performances so they appreciated the art. It wasn’t as hectic inside, however. We were all the way in the back so there was a side door for us to enter from that led us straight to our seats. The seats, although in the back, weren’t that bad. I could see everything fairly clearly and the seats were comfortable as well. The first performance was of the Miami City Ballet. This was a more traditional ballet production compared to the rest and the performers wore traditional ballet tights. I was shocked to see the level of flexibility and control the performers had achieved. They made everything look so smooth and easy but we could see how hard it was and the work they must have put in to present it in such a way. Polyphonia of the New York City Ballet was phenomenal as well. It’s just an amazing experience to watch these artists perform their art. Next came the very unique and interesting Vincent Mantsoe. Everything, from his movements to his facial expressions, was the recipient of applause from the ecstatic audience. A dancer from South Africa, he definitely bought a different style to the stage and it was a privilege to watch. After Vincent came the Trisha Brown Dance Company. The use of curtains in this act was eye-opening. At last came what everybody had been waiting for, Dorrance Dance. I still can’t believe that we were able to watch such talented and famous dancers! As expected, Dorrance put all of us on the edges of our seats. They had normal everyday clothes on, that at first seemed different but seemed to blend together in a very interesting way. Their dance style was much loose and engaging, as were their facial expressions. All parts of the performance, from the man that looked like Voldemort to tap dance, the performance was perfect and a privilege to watch.
