(Photos courtesy of Rachel Neville photography)
Complexions delivers big on its one-night only performance for TITAS
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
rich@dallasvoice.com
More than a decade ago, choreographer Dwight Rhoden created a piece set to music by the band U2. The rock-n- roll sound resonated with him in a certain way at that time. Now, with the band’s 2023 album Songs of Surrender, Rhoden is doing it again.
The band has re-recorded and re-interpreted a number of songs from their catalog but in more acoustic, stripped-down versions than the originals. In some ways, there’s a parallel here. As the band gets older, its vision shifts in sound.
Rhoden can relate.
“Now that I’m older, I feel like this music hits a bit differently,” he said. “There’s more emotion in their storytelling. Plus, the world has moved into a different realm, so their songs say more.”
On Friday, Dec. 8, Rhoden will premiere “For Crying Out Loud” at Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s performance for TITAS/Dance Unbound at the Winspear.
Based in New York City, Complexions was founded by Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. The company has grown into an acclaimed company often recognized for the diverse nature of its repertory and members.
The company is returning to Dallas for a one-night only performance. Along with the second act premiere of “Crying,” Complexions will perform a hefty first act that has a very special tie to Big D.
“The audience will see some of our newest repertory right off the heels of our 29th season. This is a number of smaller works and company stuff,” Rhoden said. “We brought in Aaron Dworkin, the first poet-journalist in residence, and his season 29 poem “Dream On” will be performed by Christian Burse.
This show will be homecoming for Burse, a Booker T. Washington HSPVA grad. The 19 year-old is now part of Complexions and in her second season with the company.
“We love Christian. She came up in our program, and we knew she was something special,” Rhoden said. “She’s a super strong performer, and she’s not blocked by anything, so she can dance to any style of music. She’s just a joy to watch and to work with.”
This only adds to Complexions’ relationship with Dallas. The company has performed for TITAS more than once and was part of the opening of the Winspear Opera House. Rhoden said that the company and city have a certain bond.
“We’ve been coming there forever and have had this long relationship with Charles (Santos) and TITAS,” he said. “We’ve also worked over at The Dance Conservatory and had intensives at both SMU and Booker T.
“The audiences in Dallas are so warm. It’s almost like another residence for us,” he said.
It is the perfect place for Rhoden to deliver a new message by way of U2. With his premiere piece, Rhoden says that many stories unfold through Bono’s voice and the humanistic perspective U2 sings with. But also, Rhoden had to bring that into his own point of view as well.
He titled it “For Crying Out Loud” after hearing that expression from his dad while growing up.
“For me, it was kind of right — the time, the title. I want to capture that cry with this, so in this piece, there are a lot of dynamics of blissful cries and sad cries and so forth that stem from the energy within these songs,” he said.
He was even to bring a queer element to the piece.
“In the section called ‘Invisible,’ there is a piece performed by one of our nonbinary dancers. And in the piece, they are looking to be seen,” Rhoden said. “The beauty of that is expanding the audience a bit and we’ve been that company from the get go.”
Rhoden and U2 bring forth the idea of equity and inclusion in their respective art forms. And Rhoden uses the band’s art to further his own ideas.
“Complexions wants to bolster the idea of unity. For me — a gay, Black man — it’s such an obvious thing,” he said. “But we want to bring out that beauty of celebrating our differences along with entertaining the audience.”
For tickets,visit ATTPAC.org.