As the sun slowly dove into the horizon, muted mingling filled a dim lit room as family, friends, and eager critics waited in anticipation to view the April 14 premiere of City College’s Collective 2023 Dance Performance at the Garvin Theatre.
The lights suddenly dulled completely, and Tracy Kofford, creative director of City College’s dance company, emerged from the left wing to introduce the show. As he left, the room grew still and the curtain rose. A flurry of dancers appeared one by one, and drew all eyes immediately, as if their movement had a sort of magnetism to it.
The choreography leaned mostly to contemporary, but could be spotted with a twist of modern jazz, and even a hint of ballet. With its uniqueness, it pushed the boundaries of any traditional dance style. The mixture of delicate movement with more aggressive movement made for a very robust dynamic, always leaving the audience unsure of what would come next.
Every intricate move of the body was synched with each rapid beat to create a beautiful harmony between the music and the dancer. Not only were the dancers individually talented, but they danced well together, with the utmost trust in one another as limbs were entangled and bodies were hoisted gracefully into the air. As that trust continued to unfold, the relationships being formed were refreshing to see as their bodies fit perfectly together like pieces in a puzzle.
Lights spewed from every corner, transcending the viewers to an alternate universe. There were moments when it shined brightly on the entire stage, and moments when it lit a small spotlight on a single dancer. Regardless, the light was never static, but engaged well with each dance to emanate a specific concept.
The costumes played with different colors, ranging from soft pastels to rogue earth tones. Whether alluding to romance or war, the flowing chiffon skirts or the stiff cotton scrubs played a significant role in the message being portrayed.
Although the room felt relatively intimate, the boisterous applause of the audience made it seem a hundred times bigger. Every gaiety of cheer and cry of bravo echoed through the theater as the dancers took a bow, leaving the audience wanting more.
Opening night after months of rehearsal can be quite nerve racking, but that never got the best of the performers. They remained fluid and controlled through every dance, as if it were a part of who they were and nothing could sever that bond. Everything from a flex of a foot to a facial expression, showed how they got lost in the music. Through their passion and vulnerability, they formed a gateway for the audience to come through and see inside their very beings. The enchantment of dancing cannot be shaken when it speaks to someone without a word ever being spoken. Being able to move someone to a place of empathy, to a place where the most indifferent people can find tantamount in a mutual affinity is a gift beyond any measure.
