Pilobolus: Delightful ties that bind

Pilobolus, seen here in "The Ballad," returned to the area Sunday with two shows at the Spa Little Theater in Saratoga Springs. 

A half-century ago, Pilobolus turned its head on dance. The ensemble jacked up the art’s athleticism, swung into scenic illusion and created a tantalizing magic that still draws enthusiastic audiences – a major feat in the world of dance.
 
They were back at it on Sunday afternoon at the Spa Little Theater where the troupe of six spun beautiful yarns of nature, strength and humanity. Appearing in the renovated theater, which is still not ideal for dance as there are shallow wings and no curtain, the sextet managed to enchant as they always do — bending reality with a touch of humor. 
 
Entitled “re:Creation,” the afternoon blended old favorites like “Walklyndon” that got the children tittering, and the gorgeous duet “Symbiosis,” in which two literally elevate each other, with more recent works like “The Ballad,” that crystallized the culture and heartaches of Native Americans through the story of the creation and the windigo.
 
For my tastes, it all came together in “Branches,” which sported a bit of Pilobolus wit and vigor while declaring our connections to each other and the natural world. The work begins with Zachary Weiss as a bird, snapping his head with bird-like ticks. The others arrive, in a wide stance, like leaping frogs, dipping their toes and then making a splash in an imaginary pool.
 
They pair off for slow-moving duets in which the dancers blossom. Their floating arms and legs appear like unfurling pedals on a flower. All six merge into one this way in a rotating circle of symmetry, with some dancers upright and others upside-down.
 
In the end, they are individuals again, tumbling about the boards in a roiling romp that looked both fun and blissfully alluring.
 
The program opened with “Awaken Heart,” a seamless work for a quartet that brought to mind images of the beginning of time with the creation of the four elements – fire, earth, air and water  — passionately and peacefully establishing their domains, while pairing off with their true partners.
 
The ensemble also offered up another favorite, “Behind the Shadow,” where an illuminated screen offered skewed and surprising perspectives.
 
All of these works adhere to the Pilobolus aesthetic of collaboration -- both in the studio and on the stage for the dancers who literally support each other throughout.

The bonds that tie the Pilobolus artists together remain firm. Perhaps that is their secret continually delighting its audiences.

We dance lovers are glad for it.