Broadway Dancin' - Collide Theatrical Dance Company

I have to confess, I am slowly falling in love with this troupe. I saw C.L.U.E. back in the fall and thought it was fantastic. I loved the way they tell a story through dance. Their current show Broadway Dancin' does not have a narrative through-line. It is a collection of dances to Broadway showtunes - some recent, some classic, all great choices. It was a true joy watching this company dance, and enjoy dancing to these songs. 

Primarily choreographed by Regina Peluso - Artistic Director, the program was varied. The first two songs seemed to tell the story of a newcomer to New York, and showing the excitement of the big city, while also some of the trouble it may bring. The first few songs were chorus numbers with some spotlight performers. The show consists of group numbers, a few solos, and full company numbers. The selected songs sometimes are narrative, or a narrative is created with them. Other times it is glorious movement. The program lists the songs and choreographers, but not primary dancers. While this is a great way to really showcase that it is a company of dancers performing, it would be nice to know who the featured dancers were. That being written, it is a small detail. There are some dancers who consistently draw your eye due to their style, or their technique, or their looks (facial expressions, the pose of their body, costume, etc). However, each dancer knows and shows that they are part of a larger company and what they do is for the company. That brings me joy as it is so clear that they enjoy what they do so much, and they enjoy who they dance with so much.

I was sitting in the second row which gave me the great fortune of being able to really see the movement, see the faces, see the steps and the full body of the dancers. It made it a bit difficult to see larger patterns in the group numbers but it was still a fantastic view. Two things that I really loved about being that close. The first (coming from a performance background including some group dance) is being able to see the small adjustments dancers make as they dance. They check quickly to see where they are placed in the group and make small adjustments to make sure they are in the right place. I don't think most people notice that, or maybe they do, but I love watching a dancer be so skilled in their craft that they can tell where they need to be and make sure they are there. The second is watching the amazing lifts that take place during this show, as well as some of the leaps/jumps. I swear some of these dancers (Nathan Huberty) know how to float in space, and it is incredible to watch. Sidebar, there was one moment where Huberty was turning and I could see sweat spin off of him. I thought that was so cool visually. 

Huberty does an incredible solo to the song "Broadway, Here I Come" from the TV Series Smash. The amazing Elly Stahlke has a tap solo (I believe, though it could have been a small group number) to "Take the A Train." Following that there was a wonderful group number to "Cool" from West Side Story, followed by a incredible tap number to a FUNK version of "Defying Gravity." There is serious dance, there is humorous dance, ballet, jazz, tap, and most of all there is joy. There is pure joy in watching this company of incredible dancers, and seemingly there is pure joy for them as well. As of this time, there is only one more performance left of this show, but please keep your eye on them and go support them when you are able. Also, if you are inspired by anything you see of theirs, know that you can take classes with them! I know I am going to look into getting back into dancing more often, and they have studio space to rent so if you are a performer looking for rehearsal space, and needing mirrors... check them out.