Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s RE-MIX performance captivated audiences from beginning to end, demonstrating strength during times of tumultuousness. The winter performance at the Rose Wagner Theatre ran to sold out crowds.The show consisted of three works, Scenes for an Ending choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, coincidental, coincidences choreographed by jo Blake, and The Rate We Change choreographed by Kellie St. Pierre.
Scenes for an Ending opened the show. The stage lights revealed the company dancers laying across the stage sandwiched between LED light panels. The dancers wore tennis shoes, shorts, and jeans, appearing as if they were abruptly pulled from outside the theater. A stunning musical score by Emily Wells accompanied the dancers as they transitioned into increasingly largel movement. Kelly, the choreographer, described the piece as “a love letter to the past,” a work that “is and is not dance.” Moments of intense physicality were contrasted by overt tenderness. Duets depicted relationships of strife and ease with forced pulling and cautious holding happening in close succession. Sections of unison held the power generated by the friction of subtle differences between each dancer as they broke out of the cyclical steps. I found a dream-like quality to the movement despite its intensity. Fausto Rivera and Luke Dakota performed a duet that left audiences on the edge of their seat, wishing both to lean in and back away from each moment between the dancers. In an impactful sequence near the end, dancers would abruptly lead each other to the ground with an initial jolt followed by care to protect their person. I find myself continuing to relive moments of the piece.
The second work was titled coincidental, coincidences. This work choreographed by jo Blake was paired with an original score from Trevor Price, a Salt Lake City composer. The expanse and groundedness of the movement was striking. Projections of natural environments appeared on the scrim molding an environment that the company and audience began to feel immersed in. One particular gesture, the circling of a straight arm, stuck with me. The sweeping yet angular arm movements reminded me of a clock. In times of uncertainty, the visual felt all the more powerful as it was urgent yet fluid. The piece split the companies into two trios for long movement phrases and partnering. Standout moments appear from dancers Megan McCarthy and Sasha Rydlizky who had the most beautiful leg movements dispersed between their work within the trios; legs poking through and above the other dancers. The precise nature of those movements again reminded me of hands on a wall clock. The groups themselves were separated by space but occurring at the same time, metaphoric of the lived experiences that can mirror and repeat. There was a weight to the piece, but a hope that was conveyed through the movement and spoken word incorporated in the work. The piece left me with a sense of wonder and determination, leading audiences into intermission.
The final work, The Rate We Change was paired with an original score from Salt Lake composer Daniel Clifton. St. Pierre described the work as inspired by “the effect of ongoingness”. The work featured a prop, a spinning circular platform manned by the dancers. Lighting remained isolated to the prop and those within its vicinity. A whirlwind erupted on stage with constant motion and the changing of shapes, qualities, and speeds. I was shocked by the pure risk of the dancers as they jumped on and off the moving platform with dual caution and abandonment. Further ingenuity was employed by how the dancers kept the prop in motion, some utilizing their hands, their feet, or the force of jumping on and off the prop. Miché Smith holds a presence during performances that felt even further amplified on the spinning prop showcasing both strength and fluidity. Nick Elizondo shocked audiences with his particularly fearless quality, at one point flipping off of the spinning platform. Clifton’s track maintained an intensity that matched the piece, the score mimicking a ticking clock. I found the noise of the platform intriguing as well, at some points you could not tell what was being produced by the sound score or by the motion of the prop. It felt like an experience rather than a performance.
I found the RE-MIX show to be excellent. There is something special about the stage presence and conviction of Ririe-Woodbury company members. Every dancer brings an energy and commitment that stands on its own while aiding to the collective strength of the company. Choices feel deliberate and lived in, truly a wonderful experience to witness as an audience member.
Allison Shafter is the 2024-25 loveDANCEmore intern.