Pilobolus’ artistry enchants crowd
Since its first recital back in 1971, Pilobolus has been one of the groups in the forefront of modern dance, utilizing the bodies of its dancers to create visually unique constructs that enchant its audiences.
In an artistic climate in which dance companies have a limited life expectancy, Pilobolus has been a model of consistency, selling out concerts and dealing with the economics of keeping this kind of artistic endeavor going.
Dance Review
Pilobolus
Saturday night in the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts, Amherst.
Part of this is undoubtedly due to its visibility in the mass media, appearing in television commercials and, most memorably, at last year’s Academy Awards where its shadow plays featured the ensemble building a giant Oscar statuette, a pitchfork-heeled shoe and a van being chased by a running person. Pilobolus company members created these specific visuals by stacking and contorting their bodies, delivering a shadowy outline that suggested physical objects from various movie ad campaigns.
Saturday evening the University at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts auditorium was packed to the gills with ticket holders ready to be amazed by the group’s take on the terpsichorean art.
The physical discipline necessary to make the deliberate movements of each dance score flow with seeming ease was impressive. In a way it was like watching gymnastics set to a film score; strength, agility and flexibility were on display every second that the performers were on stage.
The program was set up to showcase the group’s roots and the members’ more current experiments with moving forms. “Pseudopodia,” a solo recital with the kind of continuous flow reminiscent of floor exercises at the Olympics, and “Ocellus,” in which a quartet of figures bend, support and flow from one position to the next, were originally created in the first years of Pilobolus’ existence. The other set pieces, “Lanterna Magica,” “Rushes,” and “Megawatt” all date from the 21st century.
Whereas the earlier pieces were more overtly physical — especially “Pseudopodia” where lopsided tumbling played a big role (no pun intended) in the development of the work — the later scores had, at times, comedic touches that verged upon a kind of absurdist slapstick.
To watch Pilobolus in action is to witness the kind of athleticism and choreography that broke ground for Cirque du Soleil. If you were at the Center for the Arts on Saturday night, you know what I mean.
