Classicism meets modern convention, dance becomes emotion, and movement speaks in “Ballet Unbound,” SLO Movement Arts Collective’s annual celebration of “everything that ballet is and everything it is not.”
Two performances, on April 22 and 23 at the Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, feature the choreography of Maartje Hermans and Ryan Lawrence and 17 of the area’s most talented dancers in two works of contemporary styling.
The first work, by Hermans, examines what it is to be alone together, and together alone. In it, she collaborates with sculptor and painter Guy Kinnear to bring unique scenic elements to the stage and create a world where the dancers carve space, shift the perception of time, and come together to create a work of individual expression that is much stronger than the sum of its parts.
The second work is a remounting of Lawrence’s “Seasons End.” Set to “The Four Seasons,” connections to nature are expounded, the cyclical nature of life is explored, and the human condition is laid bare. Praised for its scale and lasting imagery, the work has received both local and statewide acclaim as sections of it were awarded first place at the California Dance Classics competition in 2018.
Saturday’s performance is at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday’s performance is at 2 p.m.