Photo: Chyrstyn Fentroy and Jorge Villarini in COMING TOGETHER. Photo by Rachel Neville

Review: Dance Theatre of Harlem at the Auditorium Theatre

By Naima Dawson

Dance Theatre of Harlem returns to the Auditorium Theatre now through Sunday and stirs the stage with two politically charged pieces; SYSTEM, by Francesca Harper and COMING TOGETHER, by Nacho Duato.

SYSTEM moves the audience through the imperfections of an unjust and deeply fractured world. The piece starts at a place of uncertainty and builds towards a place of empowerment and a call for healing. SYSTEM navigates the audience through a ballet narrative that is turbulent, yet seamless in movement. This piece seems to bring awareness to those who fight against a political structure that is imbalanced and unapologetic in its deliberate intent to divide people. Ingrid Silva and Jorge Andrés Villarini dance with such power and fortitude to bring forth the struggle. The use of light, or a lack thereof, plays a critical role in SYSTEM, as it embellishes upon darkness and shadows to emphasize hardship and the need for change. The music of John Adams, which is performed live by Chicago Sinfonietta, builds a sense of urgency which is magnified through dance.

The closing piece, COMING TOGETHER, brings forth hope. The piece is adorned with various color and subliminal messaging, as certain words are used to evoke thought surrounding the idea of hope. There are several revelations that take place during this piece, which is dedicated to self-discovery and empowerment. The music of Frederic Rzewski is used to build a sense of solidarity in rebuilding how we maneuver and prevail through adversity. COMING TOGETHER forces us to give thought about how will we all proceed in life during challenging times.

Dance Theatre of Harlem delivers a stunning show that is filled with great eloquence and breathtaking storytelling. Through movement and music, the audience travels into uncomfortable topics, which are prevalent to the time. Much praise to Da’Von Doane, a powerful dancer whose presence commands the attention of the audience. His grace and poise through each performance delivers both precision and impactful art. The Dance Theatre of Harlem is only here through Sunday and makes for a great family outing.