Tourist Guide

Fall for Dance

The Fall for Dance Festival was an event held on September 30^th, 2010. Its purpose was to showcase a variety of different dance genres from across the world, hoping to appeal to those who have not yet enjoyed the world of dance. With this in mind, the festival included performances by Company Rafaela Carrasco, New York City Ballet, Bill T. Jones & Arnie Zane and finally, Companhia Urbana de Danca. Each company introduced a unique form of dance, allowing the audience to compare them side-by-side and perhaps leave the show with a newfound appreciation and interest in this form of art.

I have never gone to a dance performance before. Hoping to become more culturally attuned and broaden my own perspectives, I attended the show with an open mind. Although I’ve seen professional dancers before on TV, I had no idea how different it would feel seeing them perform in person. The first company to go on stage was Rafaela Carrasco, performing a traditional flamenco dance. Their display of flamenco successfully blended vibrant, energetic dancing with simple, yet intricate instrumental music. I was enthralled in the music and the dancers’ heels added a deeper flow to the performance. Although I enjoyed the actual dancing, what impressed me more was the athleticism and precision that both the dancers and the musicians possessed. I never realized, until seeing the sweat pouring off each of the performers faces and necks, the amount of physical endurance and synchronicity that professional dances needed to develop.

The second dance to be performed was Red Angels by the New York City Ballet. Staying true to the festival’s mission statement, this dance was nothing like the flamenco dance just before it. Titled, “Red Angels,” this was a ballet dance which seethed with raw, sexual nature. The music that was played during the dance added a somewhat ominous feel to the performance. The dancing itself was mesmerizing and unpredictable, yet after it was over, I realized it was also easily forgettable. As impressed as I was by the flexibility and grace that the dancers exhibited, I personally found the dance to be just that, a demonstration of human physical capabilities. Whereas the performance by Rafaela Carrasco inspired some sort of emotion within me, this dance did nothing of the sort.

The third dance, performed by the Bill T. Jones & Arnie Zane Company, was the only dance of the evening to leave absolutely no impression on me. From the beginning to the very end, the dance was boring and lackluster. The music and later on, the prerecorded dialogue, had no apparent connection to the actual dancing, and only succeeded in confusing me even more. When the performance finally ended, I found myself clapping for the simple reason that it was finally over. However, I am glad that I saw a performance I did not truly enjoy that night, because it allowed me to understand what type of dance I did or did not like.

The Companhia Urbana de Danca performed the final dance of the night. This was a completely different variation of dance, which may be compared to urban, hip-hop styles. It featured a variety of music, ranging from techno to slow drum and bass.  The dancing was highly acrobatic and interesting, and I found myself drawn in from the very first second. The dancers seemed a lot more fluid in this performers than in the others, giving the stage a freer and open feel. Personally, I felt that this style of dance allowed the performers to more honestly express themselves.

The festival in itself can be considered a success if it gave people the chance to at least formulate a concrete opinion about dance. That way people may come to understand and even analyze different performances, eventually growing to deeply appreciate this form of art. Even if someone hated all four dances, at least it made them realize what they may like in the future. After all,  in the world of art, apathy is far worse than hatred.