Like many great things, it is difficult to summarize the magnificence of this show. You may have read the same description that I read: “Flourish is a stunning collaboration of modern dance, music, and visual art.” But I assure you those words are wholly inadequate. I do not have a dance background, nor have I spent much time appreciating the art form of dance. But this show MOVED me. Most of the time, we communicate with each other primarily through vocal expressions and words, often over-looking the body language of others. Flourish is a series of short pieces, each one telling a story entirely with body language. As if the shear athleticism of the dancers wasn’t enough, their carefully choreographed movements provoke deep emotional responses from the audience. The viewer can’t help but be empathic and drawn into what the dancers are communicating.

To accent the choreography are music and visual art that has doubtlessly been carefully chosen for each piece. The music ranged from poignant to stirringly hypnotic. I imaging most dance is choreographed to music. But Flourish makes it appear that the dance was designed before the music, and that the music is a kind of song emanating from the motions of the dancers. It wasn’t merely dance. It is a showcase of gripping stories that require time to digest and ruminate upon. I saw this show by myself and was left that night in a state of meaningful introspection. I sincerely suggest taking a friend(s) to see this performance and then taking time to decompress and discuss the meaning behind each dance. I have never thought of myself as Terpsichorean, a lover of dance. But Flourish has changed all that.