Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston, MA.
November 15, 2025.
Life is usually a lot, and generally we simply want pleasure: pure, unadulterated pleasure. From wedding ceremony dance flooring to dam get together grooves to easily dancing alone in a single’s room to favourite tunes, dance is a shared wellspring for it. I AM, from Camille A. Brown & Dancers, demonstrated that such elation can fill fancy theaters, too – resonating from an onstage ensemble all the way in which to the again of the home. Performing as genuine shifting people greater than “performers”, per-se, they introduced us proper into their blissful kinetic absorption.
Each program notes and a pre-recorded pre-show handle from Brown herself inspired viewers members to step proper in – to take part in call-and-response if they’re so referred to as, to “stomp, snap, and sing alongside” in an “energetic, dynamic dialog between the dancers, musicians, and also you, the viewers” (from Theresa Ruth Howard).
With such African Diasporic parts, in addition to numerous motion vocabularies inside that custom, I AM builds upon Brown’s earlier works that take “audiences on a journey from oppression to liberation.” As a fourth installment, this work “is a love letter expressed by the physique.” It affirmed that such a love letter, one oozing with exultation, very a lot has a spot within the artwork type of live performance dance. It doesn’t should be so self-serious nor unique; all are welcome within the name and response, within the boundless bliss.
Infectious pleasure started to fill the theater from the primary notes. Dancers slowly gathered, however usually shortly shifted groupings – echoing how completely different dancers will cycle by the middle of a cypher. Their actions have been exact, but additionally stuffed with ease and stream. The ensemble moved tight to the physique but additionally expanded out into an area, bringing different ranges of explosiveness to each sorts in flip.
Cheering, clapping and laughing at applicable occasions, the viewers was not afraid to reply within the enthusiastic approach that Brown and program notes had inspired. This was not the ambiance of your grandma’s live performance dance efficiency. And I cherished it.
The ensemble wore completely different types of white and darker tops and bottoms – connecting them as a group, however underscoring their place as people (costume design by Ashley Soliman). The backdrop contributed results that helped to underscore modifications in ambiance and temper: neon for extra of a contemporary electronica really feel, textual content in colourful graffiti font to deepen a avenue really feel (“elevate” and “stand up” – empowering in its simplicity!). (Lighting and scenic design was performed by David L. Arsenault, and projection design by Aaron Rhyne.)
Simply as Brown additionally specified, numerous sorts of African Diasporic motion types have been evident: faucet, jazz, stepping, majorette-style strains, as a brief record. The dancers have been equally commanding in lengthy balletic shapes as they have been in street-style undulations and isolations.
This cornucopia of motion all blended to be merely motion, somewhat than an amalgamation of still-distinct types – danced by shifting people somewhat than “dancers”. An enormous a part of that authenticity gave the impression to be the character shining by every particular person dancer; they gave the impression to be dancing as 120 p.c themselves somewhat than as any type of persona – and having an absolute blast doing simply that. I felt myself smiling to expertise it. “I AM” certainly!
A dwell drummer and violinist generally accompanied the motion – louder and softer, extra upbeat in tempo and extra languid in flip. The drumming supported step motion, particularly, and the violin a extra jazzy really feel to the motion in sure sections.
The ensemble added their very own clapping at occasions, a mirrored image of step dance custom – and which additionally much more absolutely immersed them within the dwell second. They even generally moved with an surprising relationship with the rating: half or double-time, for instance. Brown and her firm are clearly not afraid to check the bounds of timing and what we within the viewers may anticipate of it.
I used to be curious how their call-and-response performed into the accompaniment, how a lot the dancers performed off the musicians and vice-versa. This system notes “invited” viewers members to guess the songs the musicians have been overlaying, and that can even stay an intriguing thriller for me (maybe I might do nicely to dig deeper into these genres!).
All of that apart, a number of specific sections deserve dialogue right here. The lightning-fast, explosive motion of the opening softened right into a a lot softer, extra somber and reflective solo. Technical and bodily power have been stable basis for the soloist’s touching soulfulness and kinetic sensitivity: a commendable reflection of the slower, extra lyrical type of avenue dance now staking its declare in live performance dance.
The following solo introduced playfulness – extra distinctive reflections of character. Athletic breaking easily blended with easy footwork and articulations. A subsequent trio added a little bit of suave and assured cool to the combination, hips and ribcages rolling together with robust beats within the accompaniment.
Later, gesture and theatricality instructed which means, and even maybe a little bit of narrative: the “thinker pose” shifting into visceral self-exploration, the group seeming to encompass this particular person in help. These moments had loads of aesthetic and sensory worth even with out a lot clearer which means, nonetheless. Total, this was a celebration, bursting with levity and freedom. But Brown’s intentional structuring of all these items of assorted tone and tenor – that was additionally fairly clear.
All of those methods of shifting, of being: they have been all welcome on the get together. Shows of honest care, proper there on the stage, have been welcome too; a number of pairs of dancers embraced in hugs earlier than, after, or within the midst of their sections. Greater than heartwarming (and that it actually was), these moments felt like affirmation of the general ethos filling the stage: of group, of lifting each other up, of freedom to be a person (very a lot so) and nonetheless be an immensely valued member of the collective.
Certainly, even with out clear narrative, such deep meanings have been there to absorb. The sensation within the ether even obtained religious with a duet later within the work, with the dancers so absolutely invested with each fiber of thoughts, physique, and spirit – all towards a presence of honest thoughtfulness. They held fingers and spun, leaning again with hearts lifted, simply as all of us used to do in schoolyards. Why ought to that type of kinetic bliss be just for kids?
Stillness coming quickly after that provided highly effective distinction. Motion and relaxation: people want each. Each should not solely welcome on the get together, however arguably ought to each be there. Extra stillness and reflectiveness got here with a memorable solo providing a way of coming to liberation – repeated gestures dissipating and the rating talking “you aren’t in a jail, you’re your self.”
Maybe the important thing to unlock prisons of our personal design are proper in ourselves – in actually being ourselves, the mentality for which this program would appear to advocate. To that finish, the soloist moved with violin- and piano-playing gestures in direction of the top of her solo. Some may critique this as too apparent, too elementary, and even (sigh) “cringe.” But to me, it felt joyful and truthful, and that mattered most. The musicians (Juliette Jones, Martine Mauro-Wade, and Meech) additionally obtained their time within the highlight, actually, after this solo – providing viewers members the area to understand their individuality and artistry.
A number of extra vibrant, dynamic group sections then transpired – hips swiveling, limbs snaking, ft nimble – earlier than we got here to a closing part. Lots of the dancers had an opportunity to maneuver within the heart of a cypher, the singular particular person held inside a supportive group. Collectively they pointed down after which as much as stage proper, standing stalwart and proud. “I AM” stuffed the backdrop as they claimed this area and closed the work.
The dancers took their bows from the cypher, shifting all of the whereas. They stored shifting because the curtain dropped. It appeared like they really didn’t need to cease…and I understood why. I may see how a lot bliss they present in every shifting second: calling and responding, people inside the uplifting collective. They invited us into their infectious ectasy, and I caught the fever. I hope to once more, and thank Camille A. Brown & Dancers for therefore generously sharing that genuine bliss with every of us within the viewers.
Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.
