Words: Alex Grunberg

4 Stars

The potential for release hangs in the balance of this carefully constructed blend of modern art, dance, and the circus skill of the Cyr wheel.

IIIII – About the Art of Letting Go takes its time as it sets the stage, pulling the pieces into place for the ultimate climax, demanding patience from the audience as the movements unfold. Much of the performance feels more like watching an art exhibition, one that belongs more in a museum than the big top setting on the Meadows. But the lead dancer used the expansive space best in the first half while moving in conversation with the set pieces, with the emptiness, and through the darkness and light, building up the tension and expectation.

The reward for the audience’s patience is some of the best Cyr work I’ve ever seen, with the most musical and inventive use of the iconic metal hoop. In one movement the dancer attacked the moves with a violence that offered a real sense of danger. The second movement was a display and fluidity of grace, like there was an invisible string connecting the dancer to the apparatus, showing off strength and control through artistry.

A stylized and intelligent blend of physical theatre and art.

IIIII – ABOUT THE ART OF LETTING GO
UNDERBELLY’S CIRCUS HUB ON THE MEADOWS – THE BEAUTY
11:00
Aug 15-18, 20-24