BodyVox's recent performance titled 'Death and Delight' blends Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' with a unique interactive twist. During the show, fairies served Champagne, breaking the fourth wall and enhancing audience engagement. This interplay of bitter and sweet narratives provided comedic relief from heavy themes of tragedy. The performance was further elevated by the accompaniment of Yoko Greeney and Maria Garcia, who shared a piano while playing pieces by Prokofiev and Mendelssohn. BodyVox's welcoming atmosphere, cultivated by choreographers Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland, added to the overall experience.
In all my years of watching dance, never has a performer broken the fourth wall to hand me a glass of Champagne, let alone an entire bottle. But that's exactly what happened last week at BodyVox, and I'm certainly not complaining.
The juxtaposition of these two Shakespearean tales was perfect. As in real life, you can't have the sweet without the sour. Too much tragedy - say, two teenagers killing themselves for love and warring families - might have sent us all over the edge.
The brilliant pianists Yoko Greeney and Maria Garcia, who accompanied the dances live, further elevated the experience. They played Prokofiev's and Mendelssohn's scores while sharing the keys on the same piano bench.
One thing I love about BodyVox performances is the welcoming, relaxed atmosphere that directors Hampton and Roland build into everything they do.
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