Jake reviews 'Anomaly'

Well, that was a beautiful way to start my 2016 First Niagara
Rochester Fringe Festival. A buzzing crowd filled the Strasenburgh Planetarium
for a resurrection of “Anomaly,” which premiered to acclaim
at the 2013 Fringe, and has already sold out its 2016 run. I wasn’t around
for the program’s 2013 edition, but what I saw Thursday night certainly lived
up to the hype.

“Anomaly” is a collaborative show between dance company BIODANCE,
contemporary classical ensemble Sound ExChange, and W. Michelle Harris, an RIT
Associate Professor in Interactive Games and Media — and adding in the
planetarium setting, it’s the kind of supergroup of talent that thrives at
Fringe.

I won’t be able to speak to how this year compares to the
show’s premiere — a note at the bottom of the program says, “The 2016
production is based on the original program by W. Michelle Harris, Missy Pfohl
Smith, Drew Worden, and Emily Wozniak.” But background isn’t necessary; the
performance is gorgeous.

Set up on a small stage at one end of the planetarium, Sound
ExChange, under the direction of Eastman School of Music student and cellist Dustin
Seo, performed contemporary works by Caroline Shaw, Philip Glass, Arvo Part,
John Cage, and Sound ExChange alum Kurt Fedde. Projections created by Harris played
out across the dome in eye-catching patterns. And dancers, choreographed by
Pfohl Smith, filled the space — or in the case of one section, the dome’s
inner-workings itself — with graceful movement.

Individually, each aspect of “Anomaly” was expertly done, but
the real brilliance of the program is in how they work together for an
immersive experience. There is a lot to take in, but it’s all accomplished thoughtfully
and to well-timed effect. And no matter where your focus might turn, you’ll be
satisfied.

Your eyes will undoubtedly be drawn to the colors and shapes
(or the stars for the program’s last section) moving across the sky — and there
is a supreme calming aspect to hearing Sound ExChange perform segments of
Glass’s “Mishima” while watching a mosaic shift colors and change above you.
But if you look away, your attention will be instantly caught by dancers
swaying, lifting, and shifting around the room like a group celebrating the
heavens above.

Unfortunately, “Anomaly” has sold out its Saturday, September
17, performances. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait another three years for
more.