The performance was originally conceived in 1997. Castro developed the choreography in collaboration with her performers.
Lyrical and simple, "una sola sombra larga / a solitary long shadow" was inspired by José Asunción Silva's poem, "Nocturno III." The poem recounts the love story of a man and woman. After his lover's death, the man, walking through a well-known path in the garden of their courtship, claims he is still connected to his lost love and that as the moon comes out, her shadow meets his to form one as he walks.
Although the piece was about death, it was mostly about liberation. The music's lyrics repeated "liberate me," although at times the connection of this theme to the dancing seemed tenuous. The music would peak to high points, while the dancing did not respond with matching intensity-a very risky combination that can create awkward moments, or, at worst, fall flat on its face. Overall, the combination of strong music and not-as-strong choreography struck me as rather gauche.
The second piece of the performance, "Vulgar," took a much different course, with a movement vocabulary that was staccato, harsh and cold. It deconstructed human movement into its basest, most unprocessed form and even used a film projection to support the choreography. Clips of the internal body at work and images of evolution portrayed the body as a "mechanical organism," using a very structured movement that suggested pantomiming puppets.
The costumes aided in the execution of this automaton quality, masking the body and hiding all sense of expression, including one of the most basic human characteristics: breathing. Although the costumes were effective in furthering the themes of the piece, I must say they looked a bit too much like that of the Tin Man's, from "The Wizard of Oz."
Be that as it may, "Vulgar" was much more intricately executed, presented a clearer focus, and combined dance and music much less obtrusively than "una sola sombra larga."
The last, and by far the best, piece, "All About Richard," was an exploration of the concept of genius and the assumptions that often precede this distinction. "In our country, but I think also in the world, when we think of someone who's a genius, we often think of that person being male. We don't often attribute that word to women," said Castro.
Castro chose to address this inequality through humor. "Let's look at how we label [genius]," she said of her approach, "but in a light way, because I'm not interested in ever being antagonistic, rather, in opening the question."
Sporting modernized versions of Victorian attire, white wigs, fabulous moustaches and constantly smirking facial expressions, the dancers definitely looked like they were in on the joke. The production's vaudevillian characteristics and portentous pompousness contributed to a sublime silliness. Using a vocabulary that seemed largely influenced by ballet, the members of the company danced with rounded arms and an affected grace.
The cumulative effect of the three pieces was striking despite the uneven quality of some of the choreography. If the enthusiastic reaction of the audience is any judge, Castro can rest assured that she will be remembered at her alma mater for some time to come.