…as body speaks
By SUSAN BROILI, Special to The Herald-Sun
Durham, NC 5/3/2015
ShaLeigh Dance Works’ world premiere of “Alo” conjured an experience Saturday at Reality Ministries. This was the last in a two-day run presented under the auspices of Durham Independent Dance Artists.
The space itself cast a spell even before this dance theater work began. Who would have thought, from the old building’s brick exterior, that it contained such a beautiful, evocative space with a high, domed ceiling?
It’s no whim that choreographer ShaLeigh Comerford chose to have the audience sit in a circle for the premiere of her evening-length work, “Aló.” That premiere, presented by Durham Independent Dance Artists (DIDA), takes place Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, at Reality Ministries in Durham.
The seating configuration fits into the nature of that work as well as Comerford’s overall mission. “The circle is a metaphor for unity and connection,” the choreographer said in a telephone interview. “‘Aló’ speaks to multiculturalism, to ways we connect to each other through the experience of our hearts,” she added.