French choreographer Mourad Merzouki and light designers Adrien M / Claire B create an outstanding manipulation of light and movement with “Pixel,” their new show. Constructed only by light and dancers, “Pixel” explores the modern relationship between reality and the digital world. The dancers are shown in everyday situations like walking in the rain with an umbrella or maneuvering through uneven ground. Although they obviously handle these situations with more grace and fluidity than any non-dancers, the scenes portray the way that the digital world (light, technology) is all around us.
The dancing in the show switches between contemporary dancing, hip-hop, breakdance and many others. The dancers do a little bit of everything as they interact with the lights. Although the stage holds only dancers and light, the movement of the performers give greater meaning to the show. Tiny bits of flashing lights are made into rain as a dancer battles them with an umbrella and a few moving lines become hills as performers jump from one to the other. The exact movements of the dancers are amazing. Audiences could even forget that the lines and dunes are just lights and not solid things that performers must actually interact with. Reality and the digital world truly come together in this new show.
