Unison Movement
Rather than depicting relationships, most of these clips show two or more dancers moving in unison in different ways – often to thrilling effect.
Next:
Brian Brooks Moving Company
Motor, 2013
The Pillow was treated to a double dose of Brian Brooks in 2013, not only with his own company’s debut season in the Doris Duke Theatre (seen here), but also his compelling duet with Wendy Whelan in her Restless Creature program.
Next:
O Vertigo Danse
La vie qui bat (The Beat of Life), 2013
Throughout a memorable week in 2013, the Ted Shawn Theatre pulsed with more than a dozen Montreal musicians performing Steve Reich’s “Drumming” as an integral component in Ginette Laurin’s La vie qui bat, while various combinations of dancers made the music visible.
Next:
Nrityagram Dance Ensemble
"Kisalaya Shayana" from Sacred Space, 2006
Classical Indian dancers portray Krishna and Radha in this final section of the full-evening Sacred Space, moving sometimes in unison and sometimes in opposition. The shifting dynamics symbolize the ever-changing relationship between the soul and infinity, though they are, in fact, indivisible.
Next:
Ann Reinking & Gary Chryst
Big Noise from Winnetka, 1987
This duet was originally a trio when Bob Fosse created it in 1978 for Broadway’s Dancin’, a hit musical which Fosse conceived as a tribute to the art of dance. Ann Reinking’s Tony-nominated role in this particular number was recreated for the 1987 Gala with Gary Chryst matching her every move.
Next:
Gregory Hines, Dianne Walker, Jimmy Slyde
Gala Performance, 1996
Another unforgettable Gala moment is seen here in an impromptu trio by three incomparable masters of tap. While they’re improvising on the spot, it’s fascinating to see their common vocabulary and how years of experience make this throwaway collaboration look so effortless.
Next:
Chandralekha Group
Yantra, 1994
This fascinating minute of movement includes four dancers from the start, but their onstage configuration sometimes looks like one organism. Excerpted from a full-evening work, Yantra, Chandralekha was inspired to create this work as a tribute to Pina Bausch who, like Chandralekha, fused different movement forms in a unique way.
Next:
Erick Hawkins Dance Company
Heyoka, 1996
Eight dancers move as a unit during most of this excerpt from Heyoka, offering a representative look into the multi-faceted world of Erick Hawkins. His dances were unfailingly performed with live musical accompaniment, while striking modern visual elements completed the Hawkins aesthetic.
Explore Playlists
Dance: The Spirit of Cambodia
Reamker, 2001
A backstage vantage point offers an unusually close look at these colorfully-costumed dancers, who manipulate their fans in unison. This excerpt from Reamker shows only a portion of the full company encompassing more than 40 dancers, musicians, singers, and costumers from Phnom Penh.