Room is a lovely show. It is open to interpretation, which makes it somewhat difficult to say specifically what it is about. For me, the theme appears to be around our many inner selves clamouring for attention; the dancers seem to emulate the voices inside our heads.

Fleur de Thier’s choreography features sharp, clean body isolations with intriguing and often unusual movement combinations and partner work. The largely electronica soundtrack supports the stylized dance club-influenced movements.

Walking into Room feels like going to a friend’s party. We are greeted with jazzy music, warm smiles, and champagne glasses of punch. The stage is set as a sitting room, adding to the intimate party atmosphere. The venue itself, the small Black Box with chairs on plywood risers, is the ideal setting for this show as it lends itself perfectly to the introspective mood of the performance.

The first piece features three dancers, wearing very high heels, dancing on the living room furniture. The partner work amongst and on top of the easy chairs and coffee table is extremely impressive. The dancers connect beautifully with one another and the furniture, yet their pointed eye contact with each other keeps the sensation of the piece quite edgy and intense.

The second piece is a solo, imaginatively danced on one armchair, lit by a single standing lamp. This dance has a strong visceral feeling of introspection and challenging self-scrutiny.

The remaining dances further extend the idea of demanding inner voices. The walls of the room close in on one dancer; another piece features vocalizations along with the use of low hanging lights as microphones and somewhat unsettling spotlights; the next piece brings on more dancers who perform pressed up against the walls.

Sean James’ lighting design and operation deserves acknowledgement. His work is clever, interesting and stark, and adds beautifully to the edgy vibe of the performance.

Room is well worth a visit. The dancing is clean, flawless and strong, and as we are given the freedom to absorb and interpret it as we like. We can even sit back and enjoy the show. 

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