Review: Travis Wall's SHAPING SOUND Continues to Mesmerize Audiences in its Fifth Year

With five years under its belt (or dance belt, if you will), Travis Wall's Shaping Sound continues to mesmerize and stun audiences with innovated, invigorating, and enticing choreography. Wrapping up their fall tour this past weekend after a stop in Syracuse, it's easy to see why Shaping Sound has taken off since its beginnings on Oxygen's "All The Right Moves" and why the future of the company is now brighter than ever.

At the helm of Shaping Sound are choreographers Travis Wall, Nick Lazzarini, Teddy Forance and Kyle Robinson. All four have had extremely successful careers in the dance industry thus far: Wall garnering an Emmy Award for his work on "So You Think You Can Dance," Lazzarini winning the first season of the hit television show, Forance dancing and choreographing for some of the music industry's best including Janet Jackson, and Robinson having performed the role of Diesel on the national tour of "West Side Story" after graduating from Julliard.

This time around, however, Robinson was the only one of the four to hit the road with the production titled Dance Reimagined, which has been touring nationally since 2013. Yet, even without Wall, Lazzarini, and Forance, this new group of dancers did a spectacular job at filling such big shoes.

The show follows Gaby Diaz, "So You Think You Can Dance" season 12 winner, in the leading female role and her struggles of being trapped in a loveless and possibly abusive relationship. She then enters a dreamscape where she not only battles her darkest demons, but begins to uncover her own desires and gains the confidence to chase after them. Diaz is stunning in the role previously played by Jaimie Goodwin. Though winning "So You Think..." as a tap dancer, her contemporary and modern skills show how versatile of dancer she is. Diaz's energy is infectious throughout the entire production, particularly towards the end of act one, where she lights up and commands the stage.

Robinson is remarkable as Diaz's not-so-loving boyfriend. His confidence is stronger and more evident than ever in the role, showing how powerful of a performer he truly is. Also featured are Jim Nowakowski, a season 12 contestant on "So You Think..." whose ballet background makes him incredibly graceful and beautiful to watch, and Matthew Kazmierczak as Diaz's possible soulmate, whose chemistry with her is clearly evident.

Standing out among the superb company is Eric Scholesser, who performs a gorgeous pas de deux with Nowakowski towards the end of the show, and whose bright eyed look and passion seem to glow each time he's on stage. All is all, Travis Wall's Shaping Sound has put on yet another captivating and inspiring performance.

The company will be touring again this spring with a brand new show entitled After The Curtain, and, by the looks of it, we're in for a truly mind blowing production.

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