Though dance is a time art, there is something timeless about a beautiful video of well performed dance. Please take the time to watch a video of a Pilobolus work called "Megawatt".
-In this clip six highly skilled dancers take turns defying the normal human expectations of gravity. They experiment with weight sharing with one another as well as catch and release reflex techniques incorporating partner work. The costumes were multiple pieces of material fashioned around the dancers' bodies in different combinations and patterns. The dancers performed with an animalistic expression using their faces and arms to predominantly signal this affect to the choreography. The dancers wore protective gear, such as knee pads, because in addition to hurling themselves into their partners' arms they were thrusting themselves in and out of the floor. The dynamics shared by the dancers caused the piece to be alive through shared expression and abrupt movement qualities. These dancers approached this piece with easily recognizable conviction.
Pilobolus is like the extreme dance company. They use so many concepts that many other dance companies use, but they take all of them to the extreme. Like for instance, there are countless pieces about relationships to gravity, but none use the creativity, physicality, or duration of ideas like Pilobolus. Similarly, most companies include some sort of partner work, weight sharing, or interaction between the dancers, but again not to the extent that Pilobolus is known for. They succeed in their goal to find and push and break every boundary they can to take every possible movement idea to an almost inconceivably high level. They often create through improvisation and play movements on an innovative level that Cunningham would use programs to devise. Pilobolus has a beautiful art form that they have created with their bodies and movements.
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