Immediate Gratification: ChicagoNow.com
This past weekend Chicago Dance Crash finished their run of Immediate Gratification, a show I imagine was inspired by text messages, hot pockets, and next day shipping. The idea? We want what we want when we want it.
Put together by guest director Paul Christiano, the show featured a hodge podge of skits and pieces that had the audience laughing for most of the night. This wasn’t the Crash I’m used to. Their shows are always entertaining and filled with comedic relief, but Immediate Gratification was unlike anything I’ve seen them do.
Christiano challenged the dancers to put on their acting hats and not only express themselves through movement but also embody their characters through facial expressions and words. It was impressive showing of the company members’ versatility.
What I like about Crash is their ability to get a message across. Immediate Gratification made me stop and think about my own attention span. How long can I read a news article before I move on to the next one (and I’m a writer!!)? Can I watch a TV show without checking my phone or my email 20 times? And in the world of art, how long can I look at a painting or watch a film without shouting, Just tell me what it means! Which I think is something Christiano portrayed well in this debut. He purposely choreographed some of the pieces with little to no meaning behind the movement—which as a whole gave it meaning. By not making a statement through his dancers, he made this statement overall: We don’t want substance, we just want to be entertained. Don’t make me think anymore than I have to!
I think it was a little bit of genius. Kudos. But I have to go check my email…LATER!