Final Cut at ART

The Deadliest Cut

by Tatianna Suriel

   

        I don’t even know where to start. I walked in, not knowing what to expect except for music based dance performance. I did not know that this performance would be based on different past wars around the world, but boy was it perceived badly. From the undressing into short black spandex and tank tops or even no tops for the men to the Pinky Floyd songs that by the end of the performance all sounded the same.

            The way the dancing was attempted to be dramatic was embarrassing to watch, as well as their ability to act or be delicately graceful while running across the stage or the inquiries of ballet. Usually in dance performances, everyone is graceful and when running across the stage it is not legit sprints. Except in Final Cut, they obviously never got that memo, because they even almost knocked stuff over on the side of the stage. It was remotely painful to watch and there was no escaping the black box where it took place. Another distracting aspect of the performance was most of the music ended before they ended.

The agonizing performance should never be shown again.  Their attempt to show pain through photos lingering in the background and them dancing in the front did not work at all. It seemed to make them look worse if anything because the photos in the background gave us something to compare them to. This performance made me leave in an awkward disbelief at their attempt to show something so historical. I cringe thinking back on those long hours sitting in the club-like room at the Oberon.