Week #6: Supper SHOW "I want the raw feeling"

Photo taken by Carlos Avenando

Finally getting into the Ice Box theater for the first time was so exciting. The professional lighting and music really added to the space. It was absolutely mesmerizing. There was also a video showing of the performance at Independence Mall on the second night of the live show. In order to make the performance seem live on video, a crew came in to record the performance during a dress rehearsal. This added tons of energy. My responsibilities besides being Silvana'a assistant were to help with tickets, do the music cues, set props, and to hand out food to the audience at the end of the piece.

Photo taken by Jennifer Baker

Each show started off with the audience waiting in the gallery space where there were portraits and stories of "People on the Move". The dance piece was choreographed around and influenced by these stories. It was helpful for the audience to get a bit of a background on the subject of immigration before walking into such a powerful performance. Then, the audience was asked for their name and I.D. as they entered the space. Some were even asked to get their pictures taken. This also helped to set the tone for the piece. It was interesting to watch the audience enter as some were separated from the people that they had intended on sitting with.

Little did the audience know, the piece had really begun from the moment that they walked into the gallery and started reading the stories. The dancing was so powerful that some audience members even cried. And when the dancing seemed to be over, the piece still wasn't over yet. The audience was called to tables to have "Supper" with the cast. Silvana even debated having an applause because the piece was not supposed to come to an end. The piece represents issues that are alive and ongoing in our world. Something that carries this much weight isn't just applauded and forgotten; it stays with you and brings up conversations of change.

I am honored to have been a part of this project with Cardell Dance Theater.