VIDF - Rob Kitsos & Dancers

Tonight, I saw my first show at the VIDF, Rob Kitsos & Dancers. Rob Kitsos & Dancers perform WAKE, exploring the perspective of individuals and groups living within an urban environment and the interactive physical language inspired by the city.

I watched a group of dancers gather together in a group, form a tight-knit community walking in unison at the beginning. The group starts to scatter in a myriad of different directions, some pairing with others as a few danced in solo. I saw the stress and confusion portrayed of living in a city. Some dancers run fast. Others were watchers, watching the performers rolling and jumping over over each other. I could feel the hectic moments of racing, being pulled and pushed forward backward and in all directions. The group came together dancing, arms together, in a circle only to break apart again to jump and twist in different directions. The physical language living in an urban environment seemed rather cold, fast and scary at times. I could see no emotion in their faces, only the physical aspect of the race, sometimes solo, in duet or groups. Sweat dripped from the dancers' foreheads as they collapsed at the end. Two dancers in front bounced off the floor only the end with a resounding thump again. Exhaustion seem to set after the physical fast pace struggle of urban life in the city. In the end, the dancers slump down on the floor where they stood. Don't we all feel like that sometimes? Losing sight of ourselves in pursuit of our everchanging dreams, changing partners/groups, stopping, turning, making leaps and sometimes falling.