Orcas raised dancer performs with New York troupe in Seattle

by Gray Gailey

Sounder contributor

This past weekend, over 50 Orcas Islanders flocked to Seattle’s Meany Center for the Performing Arts to watch island-grown Aristotle Luna in Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s final three shows on the road.

Founded by two Alvin Ailey alums, the New York-based dance company aims to create a dynamic and inclusive performance experience that extends beyond ballet’s typical boundaries and rigidity. As displayed in their performance, the troupe fuses traditional and contemporary dance styles and techniques and embraces dancers of all backgrounds, body types and ages. Over its 30 years, Complexions has toured five continents and over 20 countries and performed for more than 300,000 live audience members, including this year’s performance at The Kennedy Center.

Luna and the troupe have toured across 18 U.S. cities and more than 50 shows since September 2024. The first act of this past weekend’s show included dances to original scores, music by Odetta and Giulio Caccini’s Ave Maria. Its second act consisted solely of U2 songs, much to the audience’s delight. Their powerful and enticing performances incorporate a variety of duets, trios, and ensemble dances and a unique blend of dance “genres.”

Luna, 22, who was promoted from apprentice to company artist over the course of the tour, was featured as a member of the ensemble in all dances in the second act, as well as in a brief trio. Audience members on the last night were lucky enough to witness Luna front and center during the final dance of the first act.

“We are a crazy traveling family. On this recent tour… we have laughed, [trained, and sweated] together,” he said.

Luna joined Complexions as a trainee in the spring of 2022 while still enrolled at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. As the troupe’s primary understudy, he must also memorize all dancers’ parts in case a performer is out due to injury or illness, which has happened during this tour.

Luna began dancing full-time at age 10 under the mentorship of Anthony the Dancer and the Island Inspiration All Stars. Throughout his dance career, he has graced the Orcas Center stage and other island venues. He has studied ballet, contemporary, tap, hip hop, salsa, jazz, and aerial acrobatics, making him a versatile, adaptive and open-minded dancer.

Luna noted that growing up on Orcas allowed him to dance with people of all ages and backgrounds.

“Dancers who were my parents’ age took me in and let me share the stage with them from an early age,” he said.

As the youngest male dancer for Complexions, Luna has found a similar sense of belonging. When asked what his biggest takeaway has been from his time on tour thus far, Luna responded: “More than anything, I have learned that dance is all about the music. Music makes the dance. Finding new beats, wild rhythms, and syncopations is [what] inspires me the most and keeps me grooving!”

You can learn more about Complexions at www.complexionscontemporaryballet.org.