Ideation

Repertory Dance Theatre’s “Emerge” had the feel of a dance studio recital, for better and for worse. The annual showcase, designed to emphasize the robust dance community in Utah—which does, by the way, exist—had a warm, familiar feel, but lacked sufficient pedigree for a company of RDT’s caliber. With a whopping eleven works, the evening rushed along, eager to get to everyone, but ignored the fact that some pieces stood above the rest.

Performance

Repertory Dance Theatre: “Emerge”

Place

Leona Wagner Black Box Theater at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Salt Lake City, UT, January 10, 2025

Words

Sophie Bress

Repertory Dance Theater in Kara Komarnitsky’s “Show Me All of It.” Photograph by Sharon Kain

The first of these was Kara Komarnitsky’s “Show Me All of It,” which moved me from the time I read the program note. I was surprised to find that Komarnitsky is RDT’s archivist—she is clearly such a gifted dancemaker. I hope, after seeing “Show Me All of It,” the company offers her more opportunities to create.

“Show Me All of It” was an intricate dance of light and shadow, featuring a dancer holding a flashlight to cleverly illuminate solos and duets on the stage. The overall theme—the vulnerability of showing oneself and allowing oneself to be seen—was captured in both the movement of the flashlight beams and through a repeating motif of exaggerated breath and heartbeat. The choreography—twisting, turning, and visually arresting— spoke to something primal and human, an expert example of dance having the capacity to do things that words cannot.

Repertory Dance Theater in Kara Komarnitsky’s “Show Me All of It.” Photograph by Sharon Kain

The first work after intermission, Caleb Daly’s “skintight,” was equally breathtaking, albeit for different reasons. This trio consisted mostly of sumptuous arm movements—the dancers were somewhat bound to the stage by Loïe Fuller-like white dresses spread romantically around their feet. Daly’s choreography was intensely musical, taking the beats and pulses of the score with precision. Literal interpretations are often scorned, especially in concert modern dance, but Daly’s work reminded me that literality, when taken to the extreme, becomes artful.

When the dancers finally pulled up the dresses to reveal their legs, allowing them to run, it felt like a breath of air—an untethering. Unfortunately, the piece ended shortly after. The idea of limiting choreography to mostly arm movements is an interesting one, and I would have loved to see this theme more deeply and fully explored—perhaps by eliminating another of the evening’s many works.

Repertory Dance Theater in Caleb Daly’s “skintight.” Photograph by Sharon Kain

Certainly not up for elimination was “Steve & Jim, Jim & Steve: Another Modern Dance,” conceived of by Nicholas and Alexander Cendese and choreographed by Nicholas Cendese, plus Leah Ahlander and Grace Messinger, who also performed the work. This piece was the evening’s comic relief—and perhaps one of the most successful uses of humor in dance that I have ever seen.

Pairing very classically modern dance movements with football-like commentary recorded by Alexander Cendese, the dance progressed from the humorous to the absurd as one of the commentators was moved to reveal deeper and deeper secrets and doubts from his own life. Despite the hilarity, “Steve & Jim, Jim & Steve: Another Modern Dance,” provided insight into the mind of a dance viewer, capturing the moment dance offers the ability to project oneself and one’s life onto the stage.

Aside from these three works, there was a dance created for seven dance educators from across the Salt Lake valley, one made on dancers over 40, several works for young and pre-professional dancers, and one dance film.

The breadth and depth of work presented both emphasized community and cheapened the evening, even prompting some audience members to feel it was OK to leave during a work, walking in front of the entire audience. Though it was an enjoyable, moving night at the theater, Emerge could have greatly benefitted from editing—without it, the three most impactful pieces were buried.

Sophie Bress

Sophie Bress is an arts and culture journalist and dance critic. She regularly contributes to Dance Magazine and Fjord Review, and has also written for the New York Times, NPR, Observer, Pointe, and more.

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