Modern dance is a choreography that transpired in the 19th century. Modern dance comes from a plethora of dance types but mainly ballet. Modern dance mainly, is a created piece representing both democracy, individuality, social protest, and freedom. Considering Black history month but also a month signifying a deeper meaning surrounding equality and injustice among humans I chose to give a review on this spiritual modern dance “Rainbow Round My Shoulder” by Donald Mckayle.
Within the first 5 minutes of watching, I instantly credited my decision. The dancers came out in a clean formation that showed dedication and resilience. The dance was very brave, bold, and daring, which I admired, the expression of each dancer’s face played a role in my review. There was not one second where they stepped out of line when suited, the structure was stern in its position of the choreography. This helped the overall performance because of the work ethic expressed by each dancer, they each gave their all.
Their emotions showed throughout each move swaying into the next move, that stole my heart each time. I felt well connected to the dance and soul that was presented throughout the choreography. One of the few dances I have ever seen that was soulful and had sass, it brought me back to another era, one similar to the Harlem renaissance. Shortly after watching, the music and dancing on beat persuaded me to move my feet and sway my hips. The costume was very masculine and to me, seemed relative to the song, it brought out the lyrics more which attributed to the 10/10 score I gave. The costume was simple yet loud, but it fit in well, the hair of each performer seemed to be in their natural state which I adored.
The title of the performance, does exactly as stated, feeling as if a rainbow touched my shoulder. Not one dancer forgot a step from what I could tell, and despite the bright stage lighting, their dancing still lit up the room. Each dancer had a unique dynamic, but they all performed in-sync well while still adding their own personality to each movement. The dancers moved in such a beautiful way; it was captivating to witness. I felt empowered and liberated when watching this performance, it truly moved me. The bright lights on stage only added to this performance, I don’t think there is anything that could be taken away from that performance. The bright light went with the rainbow context, and it helped to show every ligament the dancers moved, which I’m sure the audience appreciated it. The music was almost like a chant or expression of something of higher virtue. It was deep voice singing but the lyrics were rather soft and persuasive, a positive persuasion. A persuasion that could never steer you wrong, one that will push you further. The bold movements made the song a thousand times better because of the bold expression the dancers represented throughout each coordination.
Each dancer put their heart and soul into the choreography, that ultimately made me feel so many things on a spiritual level. It’s one thing to feel moved in a dancing light by a performance, but it is another thing to feel higher or motivated after a performance. Congratulations on a job well done by the dancers that were chosen to embody this performance, the choreographers, and the producer of the set-up.Â
