Review: PILOBOLUS at The Joyce Offers Two Stunning Programs

Pilobolus is now appearing at The Joyce Theater through Sunday, August 11. New York metro audiences will be delighted and enthralled by the programs that the renowned dance company is presenting. We attended “Dreams” that included five distinctive pieces.  From the first minute to the last, we were amazed by the troupe's grace, athleticism, control, and the creativity that defines their works. We applaud Executive/Co-Artistic Director, Renee Jaworski and Artistic Director, Matt Kent for their impressive leadership.

Pilobolus is a “rebellious dance company.” For over decades, since 1971, it has tested the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies by creating awe-inspiring performances. 

We attended the opening night of the “Dreams” program.  It commenced  with Thresh/Hold.  Choreographed as a collaborative effort, it is an emotionally charged and action packed piece is performed by the five members of the company. The dance cleverly uses a door as a movable prop to heighten the drama of the dance.

The second piece, Bloodlines is a duet performed by Marlon Feliz and Hannah Klinkman.  With their limbs gracefully intertwined, the dancers present an otherworldly sense of beauty as they gracefully execute seemingly impossible lifts, holds, and turns.  Red petals rain down on the stage to create a stunning effect.

The program continued with Gnomen, performed by four of the company’s male dancers that include Connor Chaparro, Quincy Ellis, Sean Langford, and Derion Loman.  This intricately choreographed piece showcases the company’s ability to work together seamlessly. The dancers are individually featured in a powerful, extraordinary display of strength and agility.

After a brief intermission, the second act began with Symbiosis.  As the title implies, the duet is a perfect example of cooperation. It is being performed by either Quincy Ellis and Marlon Feliz or by Derion Loman and Hannah Klinkman.  There are moments in the piece when the two dancers appear to be a living sculpture with beautiful positioning.

The final dance in the "Dreams" program is the ideal finale. Rushes is an energetic piece that stimulates the imagination. It commences with six dancers in a circle of chairs and there is a single light suspended from the ceiling. We especially like that this complex piece brings a bit of humor to the stage while the dancers perform the incredible physical feats that characterize the gifted company.

The ultra-talented Pilobolus dancers include Connor Chaparro, Quincy Ellis, Marlon Feliz, Hannah Klinkman, Sean Langford, Derion Loman, Zack Weiss and Eriko Jimbo. With style and verve, they are a perfect collective and a one-of-a-kind troupe.

Each and every choreography in “Dreams” is striking; the array of musical selections are superb; the costuming is exquisite; and the lighting adds just the right effects to the show.  We commend the Creative Team for their work.

With Pilobolus' two programs being performed at The Joyce, patrons can experience the talents of Pilobolus more than once. “Dreams” will be presented through July 28 and on August 1, 2, 7, and 11. It has a run time of 2 hours with one intermission.  “Memory” will be performed on July 30, July 31, and August 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

The Joyce Theater is located at 175 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011.  For ticketing and more information, please visit HERE.

Photo Credit: Hibbard Nash

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