Cerqua Rivera Reaches for the Sky and Each Other

By Wes Hessel with Flo Mano

The rain outside did not stop the audience of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre to be present for their amazing performance at the Dance Center of Columbia College the first weekend of May.

The first piece, a world premiere titled “Immense World” and choreographed by Shannon Alvis, was an incredible, soulful, sentient connection of people and the cosmos, set to the unique expressive music of the jazz orchestra of Stu Greenspan (music director), as well as cofounders Joe Cerqua (composer) and artistic director Wilfredo Rivera. Together they create aesthetic magic; the dancers were ethereal with intention and physical strength.

“We Intersect” with movement design by Monique Haley, was a world premiere, too – a fast paced, athletic expression of injustice, prejudice, and hope through community. Margaret Murphy was mesmerising singing “Let it Rain”. The last piece, “A Place Between Earth and Sky”, was an intellectual introspective of our relationship to the universe – beyond the beauty of the dance, it was emotional and thought provoking, lingering in one’s mind. For future programs of Cerqua Rivera, please visit their website at www.cerquarivera.org. 

Category: Uncategorized