JOFFREY

Joffrey Concert Group (JCG) presented IN MY ART over Valentine’s weekend, featured works
from the Creative Movers Choreographic Initiative (CMCI) program. Emerging choreographers
offered world premieres by CMCI 2024 recipients Tsai Hsi
Hung and Thang Dao, as well as Company Artistic Director Bradley Shelver.

The showcase began with Shelver’s And the Things That Remain, dedicated to Judith
Jamison’s legacy. The full company filled the stage, with intricate and technical choreography
highlighting the powerhouse of dancers making up JCG. The lighting, designed by Shelver and
Alejandro Fajardo, highlighted the dancers’ angles and edges, putting them in a variety of
silhouettes, drawing attention to the dynamics of the group. When the music ceased, the
dancers continued and their breathing became the soundscore, revealing the hard work that
was so fruitful in motion.

CMCI recipient Thang Dao’s Cloaked followed, exploring the themes of protection and
concealment. The piece featured impressive partnering and long black skirts designed by Dao
that were manipulated throughout to symbolize various meanings. Starting with a challenging
duet, followed by a solo bathed in spotlight that articulated the music’s nuances, DAO was able to
articulate movement that emulated the musical selection. Dao’s technical expertise and
attention to detail created a piece that was both musically and physically complex.

Following a brief intermission, Tsao Hsi Hung’s Dusk captivated the audience with dark, eerie
imagery. The dancers’ unitards mirrored swirling patterns projected onto the stage, and the
choreography mirrored these curving lines with fluid and sharp movements. The piece pushed
the dancers’ physical limits with grand jumps, huge legs, quick crawling transitions, and
powerful duets. Hung’s use of pairings highlighted the dancers’ strengths, resulting in a
commanding performance.

The evening concluded with Shelver’s OOF, a comedic, lighthearted finale. Disrupting the
audience’s expectations, the piece began with the house lights on, and dancers engaged in
playful mundane activities like leapfrog, peeking around curtains, and sipping from a
Coca-Colacan on stage. The quirky piece balanced technique with humorand physicality.
Through solos, duets, and small groups, OOF kept the audience engaged with its unpredictable energy.

Joffrey Concert Group’s IN MY ART was a strong showcase of creativity and technical abilities.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Emma Morris