Concert Dance Inc presents “Power Shift” at Ann Barzel Theatre

Responding to the ever-changing shifts in ourselves and our world, Concert Dance Inc, under the direction of Venetia Stifler, present “Power Shift,” July 12-13 at the Ann Barzel Theatre. This evening of four dance works is as fascinating and enthralling as it is sincere. 

The evening opens with an excerpt of “Unexpected Puzzle,” choreographed by Artist in Residence Edson Cabrera, explores the joy of putting together life’s unexpected puzzles. The piece begins contemplatively as each dancer gestures their arms like the levers, switches and buttons on a control board. The initial precise synchrony of the eleven dancers breaks as individuals begin moving, constantly changing angles, swivels and jumps. The dance becomes more lively as the dancers run and dive into each other’s arms and a percussive dance party breaks out with stomping, clapping and hair swinging. It is clear from the start that the audience is in for a spirited and energetic performance. 

“Gnawing,” choreographed by company dancer Ryan Dick as part of Concert Dance Inc’s choreography mentorship program, explores an inescapable gut feeling. Ten dancers begin by laying on the floor in darkness. Wearing nude undergarments and weightlifting gloves, they reach to the sky then plummet back down, rocking and punching the ground beside them, hitting a mental wall. Nebulous and drifting, they make their way to standing, their hands churn in fists around their stomach. Unsteady and looking over their shoulders, they move in tandem like the cells of a gut feeling. The movement becomes grotesque as the dancers eerily tip toe across the stage like puppets, undulate their spines and manipulate others from behind like an incessant thought in the back of your head. As the dancers go from experiencing to embodying the gnawing gut feeling, the churn becomes almost sinister, and the dancers eye the audience like animals stalking their prey. Stirring up emotions that are both relatable and visceral, “Gnawing” surely has audiences excited to see more from Ryan Dick. 

“Technically Speaking,” choreographed by Venetia Stifler and Edson Cabrera, in an opening of what will become a larger work, explores Stifler’s fears about Artificial Intelligence and raises questions about how much we can trust this new, fast-evolving tool. The piece begins in a field of eight frozen dancers wearing futuristic white and silver. One dancer, Caroline McLoughlin, wades through, gently pushing and prodding; the others respond to each command by turning around and away from the audience. When she reaches the final dancer, McLoughlin coaxes them to look her in the eye, but the dancer struggles to match her gaze. The audience is thrust into a technological unknown as the dancers move quickly, robotic and unfeeling, in a tangled cause-and-effect like the running sequence of a code. They pulse and vibrate, pacing back and forth in irregular pathways while talking in a frenzied overlap that sounds like gibberish. As the dancers touch and inspect their own bodies, one questions whether they are embodying humans or machines. While “Technically Speaking” doesn’t offer any concrete answers, it calls the audience to take a step back from the spectacle of information overload and examine this new world of AI. 

A continuation of guest artist Osnel Delgado’s “Moon Ascending” explores humanities’ spiritual, ancient connection to the moon and the activities people do under moonlight. Wearing an eclectic mix of patterns and purple iridescent tops, ten dancers peer up into the moonlight. They sway and reach to the sky, twisting their hands like they are conjuring a spell. Moving in organic ripples amplified by the large ensemble, the dancers are drawn to the moon like the tides of the ocean. At times the movement becomes animalistic as the dancers are consumed by the moon. They itch themselves, slap their backs, bare their teeth and open their mouths as if howling. There is a passionate duet between Sydney Osborne and Ryan Dick to a Latin ballad, and beautiful moments of connection—like when the dancers rest their foreheads together or when they lift individuals up so it looks like they are running on air. As the dancers commit to their personal connections to the moon, they enliven every lilt of the accompanying romantic melodies, and the audience is left feeling connected and enchanted. 

A fantastic evening of truthful art, “Power Shift” grapples with an ever-changing world while also calling home to our innate shared humanity.

Concert Dance Inc presents “Power Shift” Sat., July 12 at 7:30 pm and Sun., July 13 at 5:00 pm at Visceral Dance Center’s Ann Barzel Theatre, 3121 N Rockwell Street. Tickets can be found by clicking the event page HERE.