Pilobolus

ECLECTIC. We saw a performance with the dance company and ASAP participants at Pomperaug High School. Each piece was preceded by a short film. Our tickets were $ 35 each. When PIlobolus performs at the Joyce Theater in NYC, tickets are at least $ 80 each. We are fortunate that we have access to this quality of performance locally and at a reasonable price.

The show Saturday February 1, 2014 at the Shepaug Auditorium in Washington was the best yet. We have been fortunate to have seen a few, but this show left us awestruck. What talent! The combination of the Pilobolus dancers and the ASAP (after school arts program) students was splendid. Please keep up the excellent, entertaining work. A job very well done. A super night out!!!

Pilobolus is a fungus.
That being said, Pilobolus just recently opened Dance St. Louis’s 2012 – 2013 season with these performances:
Rushes
Skyscrapers
Gnomen
All Is Not Lost
Automation
with films titled:
Traffic
Starlings
Explosions
I have no idea how to describe Pilobolus. It is a modern performance company made up of seven dancers. There is ballet. There is modern. There is interpretive dance. There are illusions and allusions. There is athleticism. Pilobolus re-​invents the way we see dance and how choreography works and how dancers’ forms are viewed from the audience. It draws from light, color, and rhythm. It’s an experience.
I spent all night comparing them to Momix, who is my favorite dance group ever, and I realize that’s a bit unfair. Pilobolus is more raw and stark than Momix. It really is elemental and minimalist. I walked away from Momix thinking, «I want to see more… those colors and the dance flow was awesome!» I walked away from Pilobolus thinking, «Holy cow, what the hell, I need to see more because I didn’t understand it the first time around!»
Not surprisingly, my favorite was their play on «Skyscrapers», which was originally a song and music video from the music group OK Go. I’d actually never seen the video before the dance, but the dance itself is the sultriest tango ever with three couples in numerous costume, backdrop, and color changes. The video goes through the colors of the rainbow, and I think the Pilobolus dance does too, but I was so busy being mesmerized by the dance steps, that I really don’t remember. For real, if you don’t want to jump your significant other after watching this dance, then I’m not sure what’s wrong with you.
My least favorite was Automaton. They use a lot of mirrors and single bright lights, and depending on how they’re tilting the mirrors, the lights are blinding. I actually had to shut my eyes a couple of times. It’s an interesting piece though.
I like how they push the boundaries of dance, experimenting with other mediums and rhythms.
Pilobolus does grow on you. It is a fungus, after all.