It’s not often that a production does more than it sets out to do.
Quite often the main focus is to entertain and in this instance the production not only entertained me, it also educated me but it did more than that. It enthralled and invigorated me in a way that I shall attempt to outline in this review.
This production will make you fall in love with dance and I hope you enjoy your love for it as much as I did.
Programme C consisted of Ounce of Faith (choreography Darrell Grand Moultrie) / Members Don’t Get Weary (Choreography Jamar Roberts)/Ella(Choreography Robert Battle)/Revelations (choreography Alvin Ailey).
From the opening sequence I watched as the sheer artistic vision of each carefully choreographed motion was brought to life on stage. The colours, the shapes, the movement, the light, music each coming together to enhance every step that each dancer took. It was at times like watching life itself unfold, the essence of the strength and beauty of the human form captured through a seemingly effortless series of movements. Clearly there is nothing effortless about this production but as I became encapsulated by what I saw on stage the flow of each dancer almost made me feel as though I too could join them. Again not because it was effortless or because they made it look easy, far from it but because the intention of bringing these stories to life through dance touched me in a way that made me feel something. It made me feel as if this production was for me, that by being a viewer I was part of a holistic experience which left me feeling like I could do anything. Isn’t this what art does, isn’t this what art should always aim to do, bring us in? To consume us rather than have us simply consume it.
The colours, the shapes, the movement, the light, music each coming together to enhance every step that each dancer took.
To see a variety of shapes and skin tones presented on stage enhanced by the textures of the costumes and perfectly positioned lighting was a delight. One cannot overlook the power of the musical scores chosen ranging from the beautiful sounds of jazz in Ounce of Faith to gospel in Revelations. If you were to ask me which performance was my favourite; that would be as redundant as asking me to select my favourite dancer one stage, everything and everyone worked together so wonderfully and beautifully.
This production will make you fall in love with dance and I hope you enjoy your love for it as much as I did.
