Sure MALEVO is a dance group, but it’s their sound that catches attention unlike other performing groups. The all male group instantly filled The Young with sounds of pounding drums and stomps Sunday, Sept. 29.
Accompanied by four musicians, playing everything from electric violin and accordion to drums and guitars, the dancers use their bodies and various instruments to create captivating sounds. The group performs a traditional Argentinian dance known as Malambo, but they bring an avant-garde modern approach to it.
Immediately the group announced their presence as the dozen took the stage beating drums and performing a mesmerizing dance of taps and stomps. Their dance uses wild and sharp movements to guide your eyes across the stage. Splitting their forces, the group shows the history of the dance style by breaking into competitive dance. The company dances towards and away from each other, battling it out before uniteing again to deliver a beautiful act.
Drums were not the only noise makers used in this show. Boleadoras, balls on long ropes, created mystical sights and sounds as the men swung them and created cracking snaps on the floor. This captivating instrument produced some of the most impressive feats of the night.
Performers swung a boleadora in either hand at speeds the eye could not process, creating a haze as they whipped around. Striking the floor creating great clacking sounds echoing through the auditorium as performers neared each other somehow without tangling themselves. As if not already impressive enough, the performers would tap and stomp their feet as they rhythmically hit the floor with the boleadoras.
The room was filled with electrifying sounds throughout the show. Usually wearing shoes for creating great sounds but sometimes barefoot, the performers in perfect unison hit the floor with their feet throughout the show.
Whether there was just one performer on stage or the entire company, MALEVO had the audience’s unwavering attention. While much of the show was dominated by grand noises, it was the moments of near silence that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. From the crack of a whip on the floor to the lightest of toe-taps, any sound the performers generated had a tight grasp on the audience.
Throughout the performance there was a sense of “wow” in the air as the audience viewed the skilled dancers.
MALEVO is one performance of many for The Young however, the auditorium will be taking a short break before they welcome audiences back into their seats when Scott Bradee’s Postmodern Jukebox arrives Nov. 9. at 7 p.m. The show will feature modern hits being reimagined in classic genres such as jazz, swing Doo-wop and more.
