On Saturday, February 10, 2024, Compania Nacional de Danza took the stage for One Night Only at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
Joaquin De Luz choreographed the first piece performed, titled Passengers Within, whose worldwide premiere occurred in Madrid, Spain, on December 1, 2022. The piece represents two people breaking away from what today is considered the norm. They begin to realize that technology has somehow possessed the world as they break free from the bondage of consumerism.
Joaquin does a decent job translating the story into dance. There were moments in the performance where the dancers appeared to struggle. Some lifts failed, and a few dancers sometimes seemed to lose their balance. Overall, it was a fair performance.
Sad Case, choreographed by Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot, was created in 1998. This piece was quirky and added a bit of humor. It was performed to an upbeat Mamba and had a sexual overtone. There were moments when I found myself questioning the meaning of the piece. This particular dance, in my opinion, was inappropriate for the children in the audience. What I did enjoy about the performance was that the dancers were committed to their characters.
My favorite evening performance was White Darkness, Choreographed by Nacho Duato. I loved everything about this piece. The dancers had beautiful chemistry and energy and complimented each other. Their lines were long, their feet were light, and their lifts were flawless. There was a sense of sadness and despair. The music was a perfect match to help move the story. The performance was poetic, and the transitions were seamless. It evoked the emotions that the choreographer intended. The mood was sorrowful and full of desperation. White Darkness was excellently performed and received the most accolades from the audience. It was an ideal ending to the evening. Compania Nacional de Danza saved the best for last.
Photos courtesy of Compania Nacional de Danza
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