Gravity of Center

The soundtrack to Gravity of Center is a collection of music featured in the show. We focused more heavily on ambient textures using string quartets, pianos and small orchestras than ever before while still using many different rhythmic instruments like taiko drums, djembe, bongos and orchestral percussion. Our music was composed to be choreographed, but also to be heard and enjoyed by the audience. Music is the base for all that follows whether it is an aerial trapeze act, hand balancing or a dance piece. Gravity of Center features the track, "Horizon", by Garth Stevenson and two collaborative works, "Setting Myself Free" and "The Fire Inside", with David Block. Below is a review from KCMetropis.org Eager audience members filled the Lied Center of Kansas over the weekend. They anxiously awaited the unveiling of Quixotic Fusion’s newest show, Gravity of Center. Quixotic, in recent years, has established itself as one of Kansas City’s leading performance troupes. This innovative dance company is known for its fusion of movement, sound, and technology. Even with these high expectations, Saturday night’s performance did not disappoint. Under the direction of Anthony Magliano, founder and creative director, the seventy-five minute show was well conceived and executed with one extraordinary act followed by another. Gravity of Center explores the human journey of finding balance between the gravity that keeps us grounded and the lightness that uplifts and inspires us. Three dancers/aerialists played the characters of Levity (Beau Campbell), Gravity (Lauren Winstead), and The Center (Laura Jones Wallner). These dancers performed remarkably, and it quickly became apparent that Quixotic has some of the best and highly trained dancers and performers in Kansas City. Megan Stockman, a veteran dancer and aerialist of Quixotic, performed a hoop routine that was out of this world. She displayed her dynamic strength, flexibility, and mastery of her craft. The audience gasped and cheered as hand balancer Andrey Moraru and cyr wheeler David Matz showed their power and agility in their individual numbers. Lauren Winstead performed a breathtaking silks piece as she seamlessly weaved, spun, and hung in and out of fabric. Suspended from dangerous heights and executing daring partnering feats, Stockman and Oliver Parkinson’s aerial duet had the audience members at the edge of their seats. Many moments had me wondering how these performers could execute such physically demanding movement sequences with such ease and how long they must train in order to perform these skills with their level of mastery. Additionally, the audience was treated to violinist Shane Borth moving among the dancers as he assisted in connecting each act. I appreciated that each section of the show was titled to help make a cohesive narrative but still allowed audience members to find their own creative interpretation. From the dancing, choreography, and music to costumes, make-up, props, lighting, and visual design, there wasn’t a single element that missed a beat. The show was impeccably designed and not one aspect was overlooked from beginning to end. One of my favorite moments was when Campbell, portraying Levity, danced behind a scrim in which projections appeared to move or react to her movement. It made me wonder whether the choreography or the projections were constructed first or if there were technology sensors attached to her that controlled the projection itself. Another highlight was the final dance sequence that incorporated a creative use of high velocity fans and fabric. This was an unexpected and unique choice that I could watch again and again. My only disappointment from the entire evening came from being seated too close to the front of the stage and not being able to enjoy the full effect of the visual projections and lighting. Upon moving to Kansas City, Quixotic was one of the first dance performances I attended. It is astonishing to witness the level of growth in production quality from then until now. It is inspiring to see that with each new show the group continues to strive for innovative ways to blend movement, sound, and technology. With the audience quickly rising to deliver a much deserved standing ovation, it was evident Quixotic has developed quite a fan base both in Kansas City and beyond. I look forward to all that Quixotic will continue to bring to the Kansas City arts scene in the years to come. -Ashley Miller