Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Where physical theater meets dance: The 7 Fingers’ PASSENGERS arrives at PAC NYC and PILOBOLUS returns to The Joyce

• By drediman
• June 27, 2025
• No Comments

This past week, I took in a pair of shows from two athletic companies whose respective aesthetics reside at the intersection of physical theater and dance. Here are my thoughts on these crowd-pleasing performances.

PASSENGERS
The 7 Fingers at the Perelman Performing Arts Center (“PAC NYC”)
Through June 29

First up at the Perelman Performing Arts Center (often referred to simply as”PAC NYC” for short), you’ll find The 7 Fingers’ inspired production of Passengers (RECOMMENDED). A seeming offshoot from Cirque du Soleil, the company similarly uses cirque skills to convey a sense of wonderment in their audiences (both companies are also based in the Montréal). But unlike that global behemoth, the folks at The 7 Fingers opt for more intimately-scaled entertainment that stays clear of overt spectacle for spectacle’s sake. Instead, the company focuses on intrinsically human stories, seamlessly integrating impressive acts into the emotional and psychological fabric of their shows. This is certainly true of Passengers, which depicts the stories of a group of people as they travel on a train to their respective destinations. It’s a simple metaphor for life’s existential journey that we’re all on, but it’s especially potent as conceived and executed here. The emphasis on dance and movement imbues the show nimbleness, unity, and a fluid forward momentum often missing from Cirque du Soleil’s often lumbering productions. The result is that the piece often registers more as dance theater than your typical cirque show. The nine enormously talented and down-to-earth performers — most of whom get their own time in the spotlight over the course of the show’s 90 brisk minutes — bring aching humanity to their work, which allows their astonishing physical feats to transcend into the realm of soulful reflection. Additionally, the show is structured in a way that gives them ample opportunity to show off their personalities and even at times to wax philosophical.

PILOBOLUS
The Joyce Theater
Through July 13

This week also saw the summer return of Pilobolus at The Joyce Theater in Chelsea. On opening night, the popular company performed the first of two programs, together billed as the “Other Worlds Collection”. In a refreshing change of pace, I found Program A (RECOMMENDED) to be largely dance-focused, showcasing a lyrical side that I found appealing. Indeed, the company’s trademark dynamic athleticism seemed reigned in and its use of props was tastefully deployed in service of unfussy artistic expression. The evening began with Tales from the Underworld, a poetic and haunting take on the ubiquitous Orpheus and Eurydice myth. The work was a solid opener — an ideal concoction of movement and poetic storytelling. Continuing the elegiac mood was Awaken Heart, an elegant, wistful piece for four dancers (Tuesday night’s cast handled the deceptively soft choreography with impressive fluidity and control). With Martha Graham Dance Company’s centennial celebrations well under way, it would seem to be the perfect time to bring back Lamentation Variations — as its title suggests, the work is a meditation on Graham’s iconic 1930 solo — which closed out the first act. Conceived by Janet Eilber and conjured by a collective of dance-makers in 2007 to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11, the atmospheric work is a living, breathing creation that continues to invite choreographers to further contribute to its evolution. Throughout the piece, elements of Graham’s underlying solo — e.g., the angular movements, projected video of Graham herself performing the piece in the 1940s, the theatrical use of elastic fabric — are deconstructed and prismatically refracted by a tight knit ensemble, in the process illuminating the work’s humanity and legacy. It’s a fitting tribute. The evening concluded with Sweet Purgatory, which flowed to Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony with understated strength and grace.