I attended this performance last May but felt it would be great to share my thoughts. As I madly scribbled notes in my program, Pilobolus had me thinking and feeling the entire time. Enjoy!

“Pilobolus is an internationally acclaimed arts organization renowned for its unique, diverse collaborations that break the barriers between creative disciplines. The company is committed to constantly making things, always creating collaboratively, and continually exploring new ways of using the human body as a graphic and expressive medium.” -About tab on the Pilobolus website.

The name “Pilobolus” comes from a barnyard fungus that uses a “shotgun” approach to spread spores and reproduce.

From the moment I entered the theatre, Pilobolus was blowing my mind. They stripped away all barriers between themselves and the audience, warming up on the stage right in front of us. The curtain was not used in this performance. Each dance piece was separated by a thought-provoking, interesting, artistic or humorous video. Pilobolus masterfully manipulated the elements of color, light, shadow and reflection in all five of their pieces. Certain feelings were portrayed with each of these elements throughout the performance.

My favorite routines of the night are as follows:

1. Automaton
2. Sweet Purgatory
3. On the Nature of Things
4. All Is Not Lost
5. The Inconsistent Pedaler

            “On the Nature of Things” (2014) – two males, one female, all naked. The lighting of the piece affected the mood- grayer light was more intense than the warmer yellow. Three dancers balanced on a circle, performing feats of antigravity. The suspension of their bodies defied gravity. The piece reflected the video preceding it, which depicted the pilobolus fungus expanding and contracting. I could see this in the woman straining off of the stool and later with the man. One person was straining out while the other pulled them back, replicating the fungi reproducing. The dancer’s insanely chiseled muscles made them look like statues. Their slow, intense motions and the operatic, intense music reminded me of Michelangelo’s “David” or “Adam and God.” One of the dancers looked a lot like Jesus so this was easy for me to conceptualize. Chiseled sculptures of strength- the light poured itself into every crevice of their muscles, making them stand out even more. One of the most beautiful moments was at the beginning of the piece when the Jesus looking guy looked up into the light and slightly reach toward it. Whenever the dancers acknowledged the source of light, it was immensely beautiful. This piece reminded me of one by the chamber dance company, in which a man on a similar circular structure emulated a clock, also with an incredibly sculpted, muscular physique.

“All is Not Lost” (2011) – four males, two females, white unitards. The dance was viewed on a screen as the dancers slid across a glass surface over a camera. This dance had an element of humor and facial expressions that enhanced the mood. The music as light and playful with elements of techno. The routine was child-like and playful, something you would imagine for young children. The dancers became a shape-shifting kaleidoscope, becoming mirrors and geometry with their body parts. Their symmetry was insane and memorizing. The patterns were repetitive and creative. Although what translated on the screen seemed effortless, the dancers had to jump and slide across the glass platform that was about six feet off of the ground. Their athletic acrobatic abilities were highlighted in this piece as they jumped, tumbled, slid and crawled across the glass with ease. The most creative aspect of the routine was when one dancer would “walk” on another’s’ hands, which is how it seemed on the screen. The routine was full of illusion, like each member standing on the shoulders of the next as they slid across the glass. Immensely creative, entertaining, mesmerizing and fun to watch.

“Automaton” (2012) – four men, two women. This piece was my favorite of the whole night, nearly moving me to tears. The dance was preceded by an interesting, art-deco video. The film showed people in the 1960’s era, repeating the same motions over and over. The video conveyed a message about how society is trapped in the same routines and we become automatons. The routine that followed conveyed a similar message. The beginning of the dance emulated machinery, precision, technology and rigidity. The dancers were so precise they transcended humanity into a subhuman or superhuman state. Using three mirrors, they repeated the same motions as if they were robots. When one piece of the machine resists, the system breaks down and all the pieces malfunction. The moving parts realize they are more than machines and automation has robbed them of their empathy, humanity and emotions. They explore what it means to be humans as they look at themselves in the mirrors. The tone became emotional and dramatic as the music changed drastically. The dancers ask why they are the only person they can see in the mirror; they only seem to see themselves. The dance conveys themes of loneliness vs. collective. It is possible to feel alone when completely surrounded by people, especially when you’re just going through the motions. Some days you will look in the mirror and wonder about that person looking back at you. Who is that person in the mirror and what are they really like? We hide our true selves and emotional beings from the vulnerability represented by the mirror.

The dancers embraced their humanity as they hugged and showed compassion for one another, ignoring the mirrors. At the end of the piece, the texture of the movements became organic, flowing and free form. All the dancers used large sweeping motions, swaying their upper bodies and limbs. They moved in tandem, as they had previously, but in a different way. The new symmetry was more natural and human than the robotic way they had once moved. The dance juxtaposed natural symmetry with forced, automated man-made symmetry.

This dance raised many questions and emotions within me. How are natural symmetry and man-made symmetry and machines different? Are they different? Are they similar? Are we becoming machines, stuck in the same daily routines? Are we ever fully human? When we make an effort to become more human, does the machine still reside within us? When does machinery become a part of our nature? When does it repress our nature (emotions)? Why does resistance throw the balance of automation? Are we dependent on our patterns and habits? Do we depend on routine to shield us from the pain of emotion and human life? Our high value for mirrors and what they tell us can be detrimental to our self-concept (only if we allow them to be.)

The music for this piece was incredible. Every aspect of it was enlightening and entertaining. The changes it went through from techno to emotional, raw piano was stark. This transition matched the divergence within the piece and provoked many deep emotions within me.

“The Inconsistent Pedaler” (2014) – This routine greatly disappointed me when contrasted with the first three. The previous pieces had been complex works of modern art; I hardly dared to blink for fear of missing a moment. With this piece, I couldn’t wait for it to end. The was the piece with a story- a young lady has to pedal a bike in order for her grandpa and three party guests to have the energy to have a birthday party. This wasn’t even a dance- just a lot of strange business. Major disappointment.

 

“Sweet Purgatory” (1991) – four men, two women. This piece was the most like a traditional dance in that it mostly consisted of three pairs of partners. Two male/female pairs and one male/male pair. This piece brought the performance full circle, glorifying Pilobolus for what they do best- defying gravity with admirable strength. The partner’s feet rarely touched the floor, since most of their time was spent hanging off of their partner. The base would walk with the other person balanced on their shoulders, slightly curved around their head, holding on with nothing else. At one point, the dancers were in pigeon pose on the floor. Then, they sprang up in crane fly/ stag leaps FROM THE FLOOR. Pilobolus manages to get momentum out of nowhere. The partners would turn with the other person hanging off of their arm or off of their body. This routine made me think of nature. The costumes were green, pink, orange and yellow patterned unitards which were matching for each partnership. The partners were often in the air with their legs or bodies suspended, imitating flowers opening. The circular spotlights, red light, golden light and pale light reflected the different seasons. Other motions reminded me of frogs and insects. Overall, the organic, natural motions brought Pilobolus full circle to their first piece, emulating the power, majesty, precision, beauty and strength or nature.