My Blog inspiration book,
Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Little Golden Book reminds us to, “use
your imagination.” The dance company,
Pilobolus does this by pushing the
limits of creativity and imagination to
tell a story with movement. I
experienced this company in the 80’s as a high school and later as a college dancer. I loved how
they contorted, formed, and molded, the
body with an element of pantomime to express feelings and to tell stories with humor. This show, Shadowland, uses dance and shadows formed by the body, by its parts (hands, feet and legs), and by the
collective dancers, to produce an explosion of
screen images. These images, are far
better than the bunny or bird shadows that we all have made to amuse
ourselves or
entertain our children. 
Reflection
I love how this group dances as a unit in that no one dancer takes a lead moment. Opening, the group transports the main
character, a young girl, lifting her in
such a way that she is
floating or riding a wave, as other
bodies become the stepping stones of the ground or the motion of the air.
Shadowland tells the story of a young girl with
life fears, insecurities and conflicts, who gets stuck in the shadow box. (That part
reminded me of the movie Poltergeist where the girl got sucked into the TV). In
the shadow world, the young girl has an
adventure of life discovery.
A shadow big hand
(looked like the hand of God to me) molds her into a “dog human”
creature as she sets off on her
adventure. The big hand (to me, God) helped and protected her throughout the journey.
This show is really a visual fantasy. There are continual formations of cars, tables, building, things in nature, creatures, and more. This is all done by using the
dancers combined bodies and some
props. You will think, “how did they all
move together like that, or how did they make that shape, flower, or building? “ Then you feel a little pride when you figure out how some of it is done. I whispered to my friend, “the hand is the ear!”
(see Shadowland video here)
This blog is about finding your personal best and trying new things. Pilobolus seems to do that by not having limits to dance
and by trying new things in dance.
I will keep dance theater in my toolbox of survival. I look forward to seeing what other shows the Pittsburgh Dance Council and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will bring
to Pittsburgh.
(See Pilobolus Feb 10 and 11, 2017 at the Byham Theater or
catch them on tour)
Spiritual Source
Then the Lord gave me this message:"O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter had done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand." (Jeremiah 18:5-6)
Other Sources
Pilobolus web site http://www.pilobolus.org/
Watch Shadowlands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ned6eeCGl4A
Pgh Dance Council https://trustarts.org/pct_home/events/series/pittsburgh-dance-council/
