BodyVox: a storm of kinetic energy

“Dancers are like the superheroes of the real world,” says Orcas Center staff. “BodyVox will knock your socks off with their incredible blend of athleticism and style.”

An ode to beauty and the indomitable human spirit, BodyVox’s Reverie has toured the world to sold out houses and will finally grace the stage at Orcas Center on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

“Dancers are like the superheroes of the real world,” says Orcas Center staff. “BodyVox will knock your socks off with their incredible blend of athleticism and style.”

Six dancers combine highly inventive earthbound and aerial movement with sculptural costumes and video, to create dream-like images that continually evolve. Children, too, will be fascinated by the playful, imaginary world that BodyVox creates; so bring the family.

Conceived by BodyVox’s Artistic Directors Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland in the months surrounding 9/11, the horror that unfolded on that day led to the creation of “Reverie,” with beauty as its central theme.

“As we gathered in the studio that day and those that followed, we came to believe that a program with beauty as its central theme could be a powerful statement: art must prevail, humanity must prevail, culture, knowledge and freedom of expression, indeed beauty must prevail,” said Hampton.

The work was featured in the company’s 2004 New York debut, prompting Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times to write: “BodyVox, based in Portland, Oreg., approaches dance with a breezy freshness and simplicity that is all its own.”

BodyVox will be teaching an Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance master class from 11 to 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 in the Black Box at Orcas Center. The BodyVox master class includes a lot of choreography, and they have requested that the dancers are at an intermediate level or higher in order to enjoy the experience. Class is free with a ticket to the show. Otherwise it is $10.

Tickets for BodyVox are $25, $19 Orcas Center members, $11 students, and may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281 ext. 1, or visiting the Orcas Center Box Office open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. There are $5 subsidized tickets available at the box office.