BWW Reviews: INNOVATIONS Inspires, Breaks Boundaries in Intimate Venue

A dancer's silhouette stands motionless on stage, illuminated by the bright lights slicing through the darkness of the black box theater. As the music begins and she slowly starts to move, the audience collectively holds its breath, afraid to make any sudden movements or sounds that might disrupt the performance unfolding mere feet away from where they sit.

In its second performance of the 2014 - 2015 season, BalletMet invites audiences to step inside its intimate Performance Space and experience "Innovations," a collection made up of three contemporary dance pieces that inspires the redefinition of the phrase "performance art."

Featuring three world premieres, "Innovations" showcases the work of award-winning choreographers Brian Enos, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano and Matthew Neenan.

While each choreographer brings a distinct style and artistic vision to "Innovations," the 90-minute program cohesively comes together to form a multi-sensory, up-close-and-personal experience that breaks the traditional boundary between artists and the audience.

The show begins with Enos' piece, "Les Absents," an emotionally-charged story of desire and loss. With a subtle musical score and soft lighting that provides a welcome contrast to the darkness of the theater's black-painted walls and floor, all attention is focused on the dancers' precise movements.

Sitting so close to the stage allows audiences to experience dance as something more than a solely visual or kinesthetic medium. From the creaking of the wooden floor as the dancers' shoes glide across the stage, to the swish of fabric as it whips through the air mere inches from the front row, the "Innovations" experience is an all-encompassing treat for the senses.

Sansano's piece, "Lovely Together" is perhaps the most jarring out of the three, especially for individuals not typically drawn to contemporary choreography. Although Sansano's style greatly differs from the softness of Enos' narrative piece, "Lovely Together" elicits an overwhelming appreciation for the versatility of style and expression demanded of the performers throughout the program.

The precision of movement and the masterful balance between strength and grace presented in Sansano's choreography is enhanced by the intimacy of BalletMet's Performance Space.

Although the close proximity of the dancers and the magnification of their movements might, at first, seem intimidating, this performance inspires a new appreciation for the art of physical expression.

The program concludes with Matthew Neenan's "On the Other Side." Utilizing the darkness of the black box space and the surrealistic illumination of a single row of spotlights, Neenan's beautiful choreography--presented in two duets and a trio--once again highlights the internal balance between the stringent control of power and the openness of emotive expression.

"Innovations" is an insightful production that challenges guests to open their eyes to the aspects of dance that might not be as fully appreciated when viewed from the balcony of a theater.

"Innovations" is set to run from Oct. 24 - Nov. 8 at the BalletMet Performance Space, located at 322 Mt. Vernon Ave.

Tickets are available through the Ticketmaster website.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Zmuda

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