Weekend Review: Complexions
By Lauren Schick
April 13, 2008 9:02 p.m.
If it could ever be possible to call ballet “hip” in the 21st century, “Complexions” would be the show. “Complexions,” a contemporary ballet, is so much more than “The Nutcracker” with a clever makeover.
Sixteen dancers test the boundaries of ballet in the three-act show. Each act is distinctly different, operating almost as its own mini-show within the whole performance, with background music ranging from Chopin to the blues and electric guitar to a montage of Nina Simone’s songs, including “I Put a Spell on You.”
The dancers display a discipline in their form but bring more weight and emotion to the dance than is common in classical ballet.
Borrowing from hip-hop and jazz, their modern movements sometimes verge on the awkward. There are moves that don’t seem to fit into the category of a ballet, but their form and precision are beautifully sharp.
The dancers’ lean and chiseled bodies are art themselves. Together, the dancers form beautiful shapes and use lighting and shadows at times to exaggerate their forms.
“Complexions” takes risks. Tambourines, clapping, snapping, swaying hips and even the occasional spoken word find their way into the ballet.
Costumes range from jeans to bright yellow leotards, and the women’s hair is sometimes let loose rather than restricted in a traditional tight bun. The background is minimal, and the focus is really on the shapes and forms of the dancers’ bodies as they jump, spin, squat, lift, split and kick.
The routines are complex, and many are very fast-paced, sometimes leading to a lack of synchronization among the dancers.
Still, the dancers’ ability to contort their bodies in almost circus-like positions and dance nonstop for upward of 10 minutes at a time without losing posture or looking the least bit tired is beyond remarkable. They retain the gracefulness of classic ballet even with heavier music and less fragile choreography.
One thing “Complexions” should have maintained from its predecessors such as “The Nutcracker” and “Swan Lake” is the ability to clearly tell a story through the dance.
While it is obvious from the body language between the men and women that there is some sort of emotional ping-pong between the dancers at times, it is difficult to concretely piece together the dances and create a story line through which they can move seamlessly.
At the same time, the seemingly separate performances allow for a little something for everyone ““ some more classical and some with a more modern and urban flair.
Sometimes the dance is so modern and abstract that it risks losing audience members who are used to the classical form or those who might be unfamiliar with a nearly interpretive style of dance.
But no one in the audience could deny the superior athleticism, elegance and poise of the dancers.
From beginning to end, they pushed the boundaries of flexibility and ballet choreography, reviving the dance form for a new generation.
““ Lauren Schick
E-mail Schick at [email protected].
