Transition

Sunday afternoon, despite the rain and heavy lungs from a persistent cough, I headed down to Union Station for a free dance recital. After fighting through several obstacles including a closed subway line, I made it to the West atrium inside the century-old train station.

This busy hall was filled with attentive dance lovers for Meeting Pointe: a showcase of contemporary dance by some members of The National Ballet of Canada. I thought the first 2 numbers didn't work. The audience was dominated by the blue-haired set exuding WASP vibes and a young crowd of dance trainees. Neither demographics seemed to be the sort to appreciate weird limb angles and spoken word. So Sonia Rodriguez's number didn't take off until she discarded her "exercise clothes" to reveal a slim white dress and showcased some typical ballet techniques.

The second number by Spencer Hack simply went on too long and the novelty of seeing violinist Aaron Schwebel interacting with Hack wore off. In contrast, the final dance between Hack and Jenna Savella, with some coordination with Schwebel, was just the right mix. The classical Bach piece was familiar (the sound in this space was surprisingly good), and the various pas-de-deux combinations engaged the crowd.