In Re-Grooving, from Yarroway Productions in Cincinnati, dance, music and film coalesce to create a fabulous mix of art and performance that explores the concept of reality. It’s presented at Gabriel’s Corner (Sycamore and Liberty streets in Over-the-Rhine).
Gorgeous and silly all at once, Re-Grooving begins with a long, pre-recorded film projection of a single dancer in an empty room, performing with feeling and impishness to the sounds of city streets and light, meditative guitar accompaniment. During this part of the performance, the audience watches in silence as the dancer (Katie Chal) shifts back and forth between classical dance and modern movements in a clear struggle in identity.
At this point in the production, there were times when the audience was unsure whether laughter was appropriate. Chal and her eventual companion (Diamond Ancion) ultimately fixed this issue with vibrant expressions and playful movements.
As the show shifts from film to physical performance, reality begins to blur. During one delightful moment, it was genuinely hard to distinguish what was real and what was being projected. Viewers watched with open mouths and became totally enchanted as the dancers slowly but surely made their way from film to stage in a moment that has to be experienced to completely understand.
Pure joy radiated into the audience, where front-row participants were invited onstage for the final movement piece of the production. Re-Grooving knows its eccentricities and doesn’t shy away from them — nor from the audience. In fact, they delight in engaging viewers in the journey.
Re-Grooving spectacularly blends the real with the surreal and creates a truly transcendent experience. In a layer of sounds that include pre-recorded, physical slaps, pounds and musical accompaniment, Re-Grooving truly inspires viewers to share in the experience and re-think performative art.
The Cincinnati Fringe Festival runs through June 10. Find showtimes, tickets and more info here.
