From a wild run session to a soft ballet number, modern dance lovers will appreciate every part of RG Dance Project’s latest piece “We Fall Down, We Get Up.” With artistic director Ruben Graciani’s choreography, viewers got a sweet taste of different dance structures through three pieces. Featured two standard pieces all were treated to the newest one We Fall Down, We Get Up which was the shining spin of the night. There is no doubt that this event was beyond dance, it was filled with variety and unpredictability.
The three pieces were able to captivate audience’s attention throughout the short hour due to the unknowns that each brought through live music, film and costumes. The first piece Swing and a Miss made their statement through the dancer’s costumes that consisted of the human anatomy in a bright orange skin tight form. As the title of the dance insists, the four performers moved according to the pace of the music swiftly and go into panic mode when the music called for it. They would “swing†around the stage looking for one another and be caught off guard when they realized they had “miss.†The performers perfected their falls that they had to make; running around aimlessly they would stop randomly and fall to their dismay but not in a mistaken way. Anyone could see their painless hard falls were the results of hard working practice.
But these four dancers weren’t the only to show their hard work, one more pair showed their flexibility and intensive wide spread moves in the multimedia Rapture. This fifteen minute piece was filled with multiple tools that could either spike interest or keep people confused. At the side of dancing, a film came on that portrayed Earth and a couple mimicking the moves of the performers. The film was shown with random images that may have dismayed the audience from focusing on the dance movements. Although the music by Debussy and the dancers were aligned through tone and pace, the film itself stood out and had to work on its own to make its message clear. The romantic pair always close to physical contact and only briefly touching each other face’s to show their passion for one another which was clearly the central theme.
Although the first two are fun, vibrant and quick, “We Fall Down We Get Up” really does take the last bow. This new piece was a show all on its own for the last half hour as it had five dancers, 24 live singers and props. It was no longer a dance – it was the presentation of a Broadway play. The live music gave the dance meaning; each movement from a dancer was distinguished by opera sounds. New addition also to the dance was the props that represented nature: wood pieces, trunks that worked as limitations for the performers. The astounding changes in music and dance every few minutes – from folk song to suspense – is what really makes this a gravitational pull that can’t be escaped.
Also this piece had a completely different atmosphere as there was smoke, changes in lighting and differentiation in costume colors for all on stage. Some of the singers were involved by holding a red tape to constrict dancer’s space although it wasn’t anything particularly interesting to watch. The idea of the movement should be concentrated in the dancers, not what the music group has to offer. Dancers didn’t fail to captivate interest; with their running, constant falling into each other arms and low risk acrobatic moves, they all on their own tell an interesting story without the need for words.
The event was filled with hard working dancers who knew how to express through their strong flexible bodies. The audience was engaged through every moment and not one could be called bored. With the general feeling in the studio casual and intimate, dance fans will find this a treat.
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