The brilliance of human form and movement dazzled the audience at the Center for the Arts Saturday evening as the world-famous Philadanco, a true gem of modern dance, took the stage.
Philadanco, short for the Philadelphia Dance Company, melded infectious music with the strength, ability and grace of the human body, producing magic for all that attended the show. Behind the agile and energetic dancers, vibrantly colored screens illuminated the stage in blues, greens, purples and reds.
The performance was sectioned into five distinct segments, each with its own capabilities of captivation. The second piece, "My Science," was set to the music of La Voix Bulgare and Led Zeppelin. The contrast of spiritual chanting with classical rock was typical of the diverse performance.
Focusing on the relationships between the dancers as they moved across the stage, "My Science" exuded passion as the performers came together and apart in unified harmony.
Philadanco brought this same energy to the "Hand Singing Song." Highly energetic, this piece explored the challenge of knowing and accepting one's ethnicity and explored the black power movement in general.
"Hand Singing Song" used a variety of musical clips, including "Whole World in Our Hands" and the "Hokey Pokey." The dancers kept rhythm through body movements, audible breathing and their feet on the stage, as the recorded voice of a woman reading poetry drew the audience into the statement.
The piece utilized the "dap," a greeting hand gesture often identified with African-American culture, to create compelling art.
"I was really impressed with the fact that a dance company was trying to deal with racial issues," said sophomore Alicia Reese.
Following each of the pieces, the resilient dancers took a bow and a brief break. Even with four opportunities to show their appreciation, the audience's applause did not diminish as the night continued.
"Labess II" was upbeat and celebratory. It expressed the potency and power of emotions in relationships. "Labess" means "It's all right . I'm okay," in Tunisian. The dancers embody this attitude as they dance with and around each other, gaining momentum until a continuous flow of dancers are moving from both sides of the stage to the other.
The last of Philadanco's enchanting segments was "Enemy Behind the Gates," a piece about soldiers and war that premiered recently this year. Marching and sharp, urgent movements helped the performers imitate soldiers in battle. Their body movements exhibited the tension and frustration of war, while also conveying the pride and will of a true soldier.
As the company took their final and most rewarding curtain call, the audience took to its feet and delivered abundant applause.
"I'd heard they were real good, but I never expected the show to make me feel so good," said Jamie Corrkrin, a Buffalo State College student.
