In the realm of contemporary dance, longevity and creativity are essential in order to survive in the industry. John Jasperse, a talented choreographer, knows exactly what it takes to be successful and to attract a large audience. Aside from talent, any performance is based off of people’s level of interest and appreciation of the work.
“Canyon” is Jasperse’s fourth unique production and has received many positive reviews. It took a lot of work and perseverance from both John and his dancers. He mixes the art of the body and the brain to create a “theatrical landscape,” keeping the audience on their toes. This piece of art is purposefully awkward at times and disoriented. It does not follow traditional forms of dance and portrays “works within a work” and disguises of different kinds. Props such as a white box create a sense of obscurity and disorientation as the audience tries to piece together the meaning behind it all.
John Jasperse’s latest dance piece is sure to be one worth remembering. Combined with raw talent and an array of mind versus body movements, he creatively captures the true essence of dance and leaves the audience yearning for more.
I think this dance performance sounds interesting and entertaining. It sounds like it goes about making itself unique in a way that adds to the performance. Sometimes I feel like dance performances are just doing whatever they can to be different and it detracts from the performance because it is impossible to understand what is going on, if anything even is going on.