Photo Gallery

~Spring~

"Amiya was perfectly cast as the Spring Maiden, introducing the cycle of life with optimism and innocence. In the early part of the season, she balanced a crystal globe, representing the Earth, with playfulness and dexterity. She then led her fellow dancers Lotus, Sirena and Tala Ali through a series of varied and joyful patterns using swirling skirt accents. Silvia, representing the Life Force that drives the change in seasons, drew on cultural traditions Gypsy and Flamenco to provide a dramatic transition to the full fruit of summer."

~SUMMER~

"Dancing as the Mother, Marisela Ali performed a witty competition duet with Silvia as she took charge of the Garden. She then filled the earth-space with a dance using fan-veils, a relatively new prop for Houston audiences. We’re hoping she introduces this technique to her fellow dancers, as it allows her to provide exciting floating accents without compromising her ability to perform complex movements. She then opened the Garden to her children. Shannon, Julie, Lotus, Tala Ali, Sirena and Amiya celebrated the season while Silvia and Dania lounged, presenting fruit to the audience. As summer drew to a close, Silvia returned and brought in autumn with a dramatic number involving sweeping floor passes."

~autumn~

"Sirena, as the Wise Woman, presented us with a Crone worthy of both personal and archetypal emulation. She communicated wisdom and strength to her attendant dancers Dania and Julie with a poignancy that comes from experience as a dancer and as a woman. Their veil routine flowed with matched fluidity in the moves that were synchronized and perfect counterpoint in the accents. She faced the end of her time in the Garden with great dignity in the duet with Tala Ali, counter-pointed by Silvia reappearing with the balanced sword."

~winter~

"In the culminating Death and Rebirth sequence, Tala Ali superbly evoked the goddess Kali. As she confronted Wisdom, she exemplified the power and seduction of destruction. Watching her dance, the audience understood why people have worshipped this goddess for centuries. As the Destroyer, she led Lotus and Marisela in a hand candle sequence whose swirling lights promised that death would turn and lead to renewal. The lighting for this number was particularly effective in that the dimmed stage spots allowed the audience to see the dancers without washing out the glow from the candles. The background of moving lights added texture and suggested the final turn of the seasons."

~finale~

As the show closed, Silvia expressed the effort of rebirth in a stunning dance sequence. She performed wearing a white costume that tied her to the reborn Maiden, whose final emergence brought the cycle to completion and the audience to its feet.