Falling for Dance

These four performances were so sublime, so rich, and so special in their own way. Everything from the choreography to the lighting and the outfits contributed to making each performance one that stayed with us. I liked that each performance conveyed different emotions and used their own methods to do so.

The first performance was more subdued than the others but still very beautiful. The repetition in their movements and the movement across the stage along with the music made it a transfixing performance. Maybe it was just me but it struck me as a gothic-inspired performance because of their black clothing and the organ/piano sounds in the background.  There was a transition mid-performance to some string music. Out of the four it seemed to be the most classical in nature.

The second performance was really quite striking, largely in a visual sense. It wasn’t only the colors that popped under the bright lights but also their physiques. It was very much about the beauty of both the male and female form and their complementary qualities. I also thought it functioned well as an intermediary between the classical style of the first and the more modern style of the last two.

Seeing AP15 in person was even cooler than seeing in it class. I had a greater appreciation for the skill and precision of their movement as well as the dynamics of their repulsion and attraction. I was equally in awe of Wang’s robot-like movements as I was of Ramirez’s flashy twists and turns.

Finally the Alvin Ailey performance, which really blew the roof off the theatre. It was so much fun from beginning to end and it was refreshing to end on such an upbeat performance, though it did have some somber, quiet moments. It really put a smile on my face to see the dancers enjoying themselves and involving some audience members, who were also quite good. Ever since I took a hip-hop dance class in high school, I’ve always had a greater appreciation for what dancers do, and it was nice to rekindle that appreciation.