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How have you seen Complexions grow since its inception?

Originally, Complexions was not meant to be a company. The idea was to have a one-time performance series—a project, really—in New York City. And it involved many of the colleagues that we had throughout different major companies around New York City, people we knew, but also people we didn't even know, but admired. From there, we constructed the company out of a sort of inspiration, common curiosity, and willingness to explore. 

And, you know, at first it wasn't a full-time job or anything, and thankfully we have been a full company for quite a number of years now. But I think what has cemented over time is a common vision for unity and inclusion and really speaking to the world in a way that through the through ballet.

The last time Complexions was here, our audiences saw a preview of a ballet set to U2’s music, in what way does this performance kind of build on that? 

Well, now we're bringing the whole piece to you guys. It's done. So this is the continuation of what I was feverishly working on then. It wasn't quite finished yet, but we wanted to preview it, and that's what we did. I think it might be nine songs from that U2 album, which is a more acoustic version of some of the classic hits, like “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “With or Without You,” “Pride,” those classic U2 songs. And so, yeah, we're bringing that in its fullness to you guys on September 14. 

What inspired the selection of U2’s Songs of Surrender? What does this piece mean to you? 

I've had a great love for U2 forever. One of the first big successful pieces for us over the years was another work called Rise, which was the songs as they were released back in that day, and some of the same songs, actually, that we're using this time. And so I guess the piece itself for me is revisiting an artist that I love. 

I already love the songs. And the way they’re singing these songs now, it's very acoustic, pulled away, it's raw. We all know that I've already choreographed a whole other work to them. But then when I heard them this way, I was like, wow, this sounds like perfect for, like, my evolution as a choreographer and as a director and the company, having done that those years ago and now doing it, it just sounded perfect. 

And for For Crying Out Loud, largely, is an interpretation of the songs. It's an abstraction. Each song kind of takes the ideas of love, togetherness and humanity. It feels like Bono’s crying out to the world, and not necessarily in anything sad, but just proclaiming, you know, within each song. And it's just really beautiful. 

How would you describe your choreography style? 

There's a very classical base to what I do. But I tend to be the type of person that takes that vernacular, that ballet technique, and sort of turn it on its head a little bit. It's a very physical contemporary style with a classical base to it. I think the work that I do kind of reflects the time we live in and the very busy, full, complicated world. We have a lot to handle in our lives these days. And so the style itself really does follow the time that we live in. So there’s a pulse, you know? There’s a pulse to what I do. 

Why do you believe our audiences will love For Crying Out Loud? 

I think the number one is the artists themselves. I think that you're going to have a stage full of really, really expressive people. They are expressive, very highly skilled dancers. One fun fact about the piece itself is that it is on pointe, and so it's nice to see that plus rock and roll music, and I think even more interesting that it's this acoustic version I mentioned. They’ll see that classicism with pointe shoes and the partnering that might seem like it's going to be typically classical, but it really, it isn't. 

It also takes you into journeys movement-wise that you might not expect. I'm hoping it's surprising, and I hope it really shows there's a lot of passion in it. There's a lot of storytelling, there's a lot of love.

Get your tickets HERE.