There are no bosses, no leaders, at High Release Dance Company, just 11 dancers who come together for the sheer joy and release of their art.
Monday evening at the DanceVisions studio at Cubberly Community Center in Palo Alto, the dancers took turns going through their routines on the big padded dance floor, then sitting before their peers for evaluation.
Each dance’s choreographer got her chance to correct movements that weren’t quite what she’d imagined; and every dancer was able to voice her opinion or offer suggestions.
Art and democracy: What a combination!
The dancers are Kimberly Baxter, Virginia Bock, Laurie Bramlage, Jen Costillo, Jennifer Eaton, Elena Grindley, Ana Macias, I-Heng McComb, Jennifer Mellor, Christie Strasia and Erika Tingey.
High Release performs year-round for various events, and every two years puts on one show as a fund-raiser.
That one fundraising show — this time called “High Release at Fifteen” — happens at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Tickets are $15/$12 advance purchase; $18/$15 at the door. For more information, see highrelease.org/perform/
— John Orr
