A Steller Start to our 2024-25 Season!

Oregon Arts Watch's Jamuna Chiarini sat up close for the opening of our 2024-24 Season, proclaiming it "electrifying dance," adding, "both pieces were equally engrossing and provocative, each using interesting and surprising abstract set design to tell its story, but they were completely different in tone and style. Casual Act (by Artistic Director Sarah Slipper) is a beautiful and dramatic work that ends unexpectedly like a punch in the stomach. I don’t think I’ve ever before been so invested and drawn into a dance quite like this one. It was like watching a powerful dramatic film unfold in the dark of a movie theater — enraptured, completely enveloped. The dancers brought such depth to their characters, making every moment feel deeply convincing and real. Yidam, by (Ihsan) Rustem, offered a wholly different and unique experience. In the program, Rustem reflects on his journey with meditation, inspired by the act of observing the mind and the struggle to tame it. It was beautiful, and, again, like Casual Act, it came across as honest and real. I felt as if I’d had a parallel experience with Rustem while trying to understand his work. It was an enjoyable evening featuring two strong works that have evolved nicely over time, complementing each other beautifully while touching on universally human experiences and leaving a lasting impression. Throughout the performance, I couldn’t help but think that athletes in any sport have nothing on these dancers. Their incredible flexibility, strength, and understanding of their bodies and emotions allow them to adapt their movements to a wide variety of choreographic visions
Read the full review HERE