Parsons Dancers Dazzle Audience

Most people are unaware that man in fact can walk on air, that five individual sets of hands can come together to form a wave, play a violin, and row a boat, and that it is possible to use the body to spell out love for someone rather than saying it. Thanks to the inventive choreography of David Parsons and the skill of his dancers, the audience was invited into a world where the impossible became possible, a world where the body is the means of connecting with music, light and color to create an experience of utter joy.

Parsons Dance performed Tuesday at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. A renowned choreographer, David Parsons created the company, which has toured the United States for several years and has traveled through six continents spreading a love for dance.

The program consisted of six fantastically whimsical dances, each distinctly different from the next. Ironically beginning with "Closure," a number complete with dramatic lighting, eerie fog and intense body movement, the performance immediately showed with the realization that this would not be an ordinary dance program.

The second number, "Hand Dance," was literally a dance of hands. Five pairs of hands came together to form an unbelievable sight. Amongst a stage of complete darkness all that could be seen were these 10 hands that seemed to come from one body, moving perfectly in sync with one another to create a wonderful visual experience. These ten hands played the piano, did the wave and rowed a boat, all the while leaving the audience wondering, "where are these hands coming from?"

"I thought the hand dance was extremely innovative and was simply a spectacular sight," said 3rd-semester, business major Stephen Packard.

Throughout the show, it was clear that Parsons concentrated on lights, staging, costume and movement to come together and create something spectacular. "Nascimento Novo," named after its composer, Milton Nascimento, began with silhouettes set against a brilliant orange background which changed into a deep purple amongst other fabulously bright and fun colors. These were matched by exciting Brazilian percussion in the background.

But to focus solely on the lighting and stage and to forget about the actual dancing would be a fatal mistake. Men gallantly lifted the women ever so gracefully above their heads as if they were lifting a pillow. They leapt across the stage, extending their legs so far it seemed as if they were not attached to their bodies. Their bodies moved exactly with the rhythm of the music in a natural connection that was truly magical.

One of the most stunning moments of the night was during "Caught," when dancer Miguel Quinones allowed the viewers to believe for a moment that man can fly. It was a magnificent sight as he leapt across the stage, while his movements were captured within the strobes of light throughout the theatre. Each movement was a frozen photograph in time, which left him suspended in air, giving the impression that he was flying. It was truly incredible, and left the audience cheering.

"David plays a lot with light, and in 'Caught' that really worked to show off the dancers' exuberant, big jumps," said Brad Roth, a dance teacher from Eastern Connecticut State University.

In a fantastic feat of skill, endurance and passion, the show ended in a series of dances set to a compilation of Dave Matthews Band songs. For the mere two hours the show lasted, Dave Parsons took the audience to a place of whim and extreme happiness. It was truly a joy to be part of his imaginative world where music, dance, light and color collide to create an unbelievably invigorating and exciting experience and celebration of life.

Contact Joanna Arpie at

Joanna.Arpie@UConn.edu.