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FeedDance review: Ririe-Woodbury's The Crystal and the Sphere
There's nothing quite like sitting with a thousand or so children as they experience something mesmerizing and new, and from the opening movements of Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company's latest production—Alwin Nikolais' The Crystal and the Sphere—there were audible gasps, cheers and laughs throughout Capitol Theatre.
If there's a story to The Crystal and the Sphere, I can't tell you what it was. It certainly didn't adhere to any simple narrative structure if there is one. But that doesn't detract from the awesome, eye-popping visuals on display onstage thanks to the dancers, some creative lighting and the brilliantly colored costumes.
The show is divvied into 13 dances, and the whole thing whips by in an hour or so. The only constants on stage are a giant crystal and a giant sphere, both of which change colors and, seemingly, textures throughout the show. Each dance arrives with new characters, each more wonderfully vibrant than the last.
The "Waddle Birds" portion was a personal fave, as was "Lady of the Sea," which took the show underwater to a land of sharks intermingling with mermaids. "Outer Space Clown" is the kind of thing that will appear in the nightmares of any kids with clown issues, but he proved relatively harmless. Just because he's from outer space doesn't necessarily mean he's evil, right? Right?
The finale is a number called "Return to the Crystal and the Sphere," with the show coming full circle and the dancers gathering at the base of the sphere in a worshipping pose. Are they thanking the sphere for something? Are they being subjugated by the giant orb? Why is the sphere getting all the attention when the crystal is just a few steps away?
I can't tell ya. But I can tell you that The Crystal and the Sphere would make for a fine primer on modern dance for kids and grown-ups alike, thanks to Nikolais' obvious flair for creating stunning visuals.
The Crystal and the Sphere appears at the Capitol Theatre Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and for a matinee Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30 and available at all ArtTix outlets.
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