Dark Water by Complexions Contemporary Ballet at Gaillard Center

WORLD PREMIERE

Conducted by Ming Luke

The Charleston Gaillard Center and Charleston Symphony proudly present the world premiere of Dark Water, a bold new ballet by acclaimed choreographer and Complexions co-founding artistic director Dwight Rhoden with an original score by Charleston composer Edward Hart. Inspired by the Lowcountry’s most defining element—its dark, mysterious waters—Dark Water moves in mystery, tracing a choreographic journey through the harbors, swamps, tidal creeks, rice fields, and shoreline that shape the region. Hart’s sweeping composition provides a dense, ever-shifting soundscape that mirrors the power and beauty of these environments, and the ecological challenges they face. Rhoden’s choreography—fluid, physical, and emotionally resonant—emphasizes transformation, as a large ensemble of artists forms and re-forms like a flock, conjuring images that blur the line between abstraction and vivid realism. With Complexions’ signature athleticism and expressive artistry, the work evokes both the natural landscapes and layered histories of South Carolina’s coast, while exploring themes of time, memory, and the human impact on the environment. The evening’s program will also include a repertory work by Rhoden for Complexions, the boundary-pushing company he co-founded with the legendary Desmond Richardson.