Modern Dance

So this dance show I saw was amazing. Wednesday I went with my sister. Didn’t really know anything about it, but 75 minutes later I just sat stunned at what I had seen. My sister started asking me all these questions “What’d you think?” “What was your favorite part?” “What didn’t you like?” And I was too blown away to respond. “Christ,” I said “give me 15 minutes to digest it first.”
I’m rarely speechless, but this did it.
I’m now sure it’s the best show I’ve ever seen in New York. Might even call it life altering.

It was so good; I went back to the other two shows Friday and Saturday. I gave away tickets to the New York City Ballet both nights so I could go. I figure, I can always see another ballet, but I can’t ever see this show again.

And that’s the thing I hate about modern Dance. It almost always only happens once. It’s not at all like music. How many chances will I have to see Tosca in my life (far too many already)? An opera will always be the same; granted, the sets and ideas will change and of course the singers will change, but you’re going because of the music, because of Puccini or Verdi or Wagner (if you’re into that kind of thing). But modern dance is one and done. I’ve seen a few good shows, mostly at the Joyce theater, but some of them are a few years ago and even though I loved these performance the details are starting to fade. And I’ll never see these shows again. I’ll have to see new ones instead.

And that’s why I went to all three performances of the same show. And why I took a new person each night. I felt like it was this great secret I was able to bestow upon those I brought.