a Playful Listen

Choreography: Kyle Rucker

Original Light Design: Kyle Rucker

Costume Design: Kyle Rucker

Music: Beautiful Mechanical by yMusic

Original Cast (2022): Ana Gonzalez, Aniya Wingate, Aubrey Morris, Brooke Liu, Gabby Jackson, Olivia Salazar, Sophia Green and Victoria Johnson

Cast of Extended Remake (2023): Aniya Wingate, Brooke Liu, Gabby Jackson, Jordan Dozier, Olivia Salazar, Sophia Green and Victoria Johnson

a Playful Listen was born of an immense love for music paired with a visual quandary. This work explores the wonderful auditory experience provided by yMusic and offers a visual pair. Throughout the piece, dancers explore choreography that mimics either the rhythmic elements of the soundtrack, or the emotional implication of any given section—ideally enhancing the experience as opposed to distracting from the audio.

During the creative process, the thought of bringing secondary or tertiary parts of the soundtrack to the forefront of the audiences experience intrigued me. After learning many individuals in my life were only catching the main melody within an article of music, I wondered if pairing visual components would allow for a more expansive experience of the music—or be overstimulating.

Thus, a Playful Listen was created.