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I LOVE your idea of having audience reviews! I kept checking the site obsessively all weekend long after seeing Brian Brooks Moving Co last Sat DYING to hear what people would write cuz I thought the show was so AMAZING, completely blew my mind, the best evening of dance I've seen in at least fifteen years. The person in front of me in line took the last review ticket of the evening but I found myself watching the performance trying to think what I would possibly say. How do you write about dance anyway? It’s so hard, trying to talk about something that isn't said with words. Going to try, though.

The first solo I'M GOING TO EXPLODE introduces Brian Brooks, all grey. He had on these like grey dress pants, a grey tank and a grey zip up hoodie. The whole piece I was like, PLZZZZ take that hoodie off! I feared he might, actually, explode. Cuz he was super rocking out. A really great way to start the show. I was like YESSSSS, we’re gonna rock out here. That to me is what great dance is really about. So often I feel like it’s all emotional or conceptual or trying to be smart or it's so BORING when really I just want 'em to put on a hot jam and FIERCE it. This piece was definitely centered around the arms, very jerky robot meets fluid arms in flight, doing things you’ve never seen arms do to that jam from I think it’s LCD Soundsystem?

The next piece HANDS was so amazing beautiful I didn’t want it to end. Four dancers, two men (Brian Brooks & Aaron Walter) two women (Meghan Frederick & Jo-anne Lee) in black dresses, also flowing arms, to Ravel's BOLERO and it was as if they played the piece on their arms, like lipsyncing. Strings, drums, horns. It was amazing, so simple and yet so complex, an orchestra of black swans swimming in and out of synchronicity. Really so cool to see the dancers kinda looking at each other during certain combinations, got the feeling like they were playing instruments together.

The last piece RAPID STILL really was a show stopper. Five dancers (the four above plus Jeff Kent Jacobs) in similar cashmere grey tones showcasing some great pairings, supporting each other, throwing weight, and there was this section where they had like giant CMY shadows on the movements, so incredible beautiful. I’d never seen that before and it's so simple. And then Jo-anne Lee pops back and FINALLY somebody took their top off, ha! She's there in a black bra and first is lifted so high in the air you gasp. But that's only the beginning. Then she's thrown yet supported in such a way she travels through space and it's CRAZY. She flies through the air and the crowd goes WILD with applause again and again. Really exquisite. The last section of this piece has Jo-anne walking slowly, below her Brian Brooks cradles every step in his hands.

Just sitting there in the front row on a lil' black cushion reminded me so much of when I first moved to San Francisco when I was like 20 and would usher to see free shows at Footwork. Had so many amazing times there and coming to MTA really had this great coming home feeling for me, really something special. Brian Brooks himself came out spontaneously after the show - dude must be so exhausted! - and spoke briefly about what a great, nourishing time the company had had there that week. He said, “We tour internationally and, I have to tell you, there is something happening in Mt. Tremper.” I'll say!