Last night, I attended the premiere of ProArteDanza’s fall show, Night Shadows. ProArteDanza is a repertory contemporary dance company in Toronto. I’m not a dance expert, but I was wowed by the talent level. If you’re at all interested in dance, I would highly recommend you check out this show before it closes in a couple of days.

Night Shadows is choreographed by Roberto Campanella and Robert Glumbek, who are both incredibly accomplished and sought-after choreographers. According to the ProArteDanza website, Night Shadows “explores the intriguing vulnerability that blankets the night, when the mind lowers its defences, allowing hidden demons from the day to resurface.” The thing with experimental theatre more broadly is that sometimes I sit in the audience thinking, “Huh. I have no clue what this is about.” At least with dance performances, I can marvel at the technical skills of the performers even if I don’t fully grasp the “point” of a particular piece.

What I love about ProArteDanza (besides the INSANELY talented dancers on stage) is that they don’t take themselves too seriously. There are numerous moments throughout the one-hour performance involving narration over the “god-mic,” and moments when the dancers interact directly with the audience or with each other. The show doesn’t feel stuffy or over-intellectual, and the dancers convey emotions deeply (even if the literal message is blurry).

As I said, I’m not a dance expert, but the movements of the dancers are precise and well-rehearsed. They form shapes with their bodies that look kind of weird but cool. It sort of feels like you’re watching a study on the human form – if ancient marble sculptures came to life. It must require immense control and technique to be able to do what the dancers do, and I’m in awe.

I like the mix of contemporary music and “math music” (I listen to classical music when I’m doing math or accounting work). I love love love Chopin, so that’s always nice to hear. I also appreciate the remixes combining the old and the new.

I really liked this one, and thank you to the ProArteDanza media team for the invite!

ProArteDanza is playing at the Fleck Dance Theatre (in the Harbourfront Centre complex) until November 11, 2023. You can buy tickets here.

Featured image: proartedanza.com