Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre’s “Here. Now.” – A Luminous Fusion of Culture, Movement, and Memory

May 1st, Austin, Tx - As the house lights dimmed at the Boyd Vance Theater, a palpable sense of anticipation swept through the audience. What unfolded next was not just a performance—it was an immersive, transformative experience that bridged cultures, emotions, and eras. Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre’s Here. Now., celebrating the company’s 35th season, premiered as a bold, deeply collaborative work that invited us to inhabit the fullness of our lived stories—in the present moment.

At the heart of Here. Now. was a masterfully woven tapestry of multicultural voices. Led by the visionary Andrea Ariel, the evening unfolds like a journey through memory and meaning. Each piece in the program was a chapter—introspective, spirited, and often raw. The production’s strength lied not only in its dance and choreography but in its unflinching authenticity, embracing the multiplicity of identities and histories each performer brought.

The opening piece, Presence, set the tone with grounded, breath-centered movement that immediately rooted the audience in the now. From there, Remembering Forward, choreographed and performed by Bharatanatyam exponent Anuradha Naimpally and Purna Bajekal, introduced classical Indian dance vocabulary in a context of personal evolution. Tracing a journey from innocence to belonging, and then crisis to healing, this piece felt like an offering—deeply emotional and richly textured.

A standout moment was Character Concoction, choreographed and performed by Ciceley Fullylove with Wyntergrace Williams. A vibrant tribute to growing up amidst eclectic cultural influences, the work was theatrical and unapologetically personal, blending movement, fashion, and vintage flair in a tribute to self-expression and identity formation.

Jun “Sunny” Shen’s Mirror of Origins brought the audience into a hauntingly beautiful duet that wrestled with cultural duality. Shen and Venese Alcantar mirrored and resisted each other in a tension-filled dance of belonging and estrangement. This piece—delicate, forceful, and poetic—was a true emotional highlight.

Luis Ordaz Gutiérrez’s Feedback-Loop Interrupted, performed with Leopoldo Centeno Roque, explored the sonic chaos of external expectations. Through physical resistance and synchronicity, the dancers asked: what happens when the feedback we internalize gets cut off? The piece, experimental in structure and sound, served as a moment of sharp introspection.

The final group piece, Parade, brought the ensemble together in a crescendo of collective expression. This culminating work—both celebratory and grounded—felt like a shared exhale, a release into joy, resistance, and transformation.

Equally striking was the original live music, a multilingual, multi-genre soundscape that elevated every movement onstage. Drawing from Latin American rhythms, funk, soul, and experimental sounds, the music provided not just accompaniment but dialogue. Musicians such as Frederico Geib, Claude McCan, and Rey Arteaga performed with a synergy that blurred the lines between dance and sound. Each genre shift underscored the emotional landscape of the choreography—fluid, layered, and alive.

What made Here. Now. resonate long after the curtain fell was its radical embrace of presence. It doesn’t seek resolution—it invites reflection. It doesn’t tie stories into neat endings—it lets them unfold in their contradictions. Andrea Ariel’s choreography, grounded in deep listening and cross-cultural partnership, offered something rare in contemporary dance: honest, embodied storytelling that respects complexity over clarity.

AADT’s 35th season is not only a milestone—it’s a reminder of the company’s unwavering commitment to inclusive, interdisciplinary artmaking. Here. Now. was not a performance to merely witness; it was one to feel, to carry, and to return to in your own story.