Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion pays homage to voices lost

Photo by Steven Schreiber

From the lobby of the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, audience members could hear the sounds of classic soul, R&B and hip hop coming from the stage.

When the doors finally opened, Kyle Abraham, Artistic Director of Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion appeared to be thoughtfully perusing through his movement material before the show began.

Loyal to the sounds of WAMO, once a Pittsburgh staple as the only urban radio station in the city, Abraham began his official start to the program as the scratchy sound of an FM tuner changed and the house lights dimmed.

He reminded the audience of the core of the piece with the conclusion to his first solo, an apparent tribute to his father's physical loss of voice, and the loss of a community voice.  Abraham moved his lips in frustration without sound to be heard, and his body shrunk as he exited the stage.

The dancers entered the stage for various solos, duets and group sections dressed in tailored, high-waisted pants, collared shirts for the men and sleeveless tops for the women. Only when they turned their backs did the audience notice gaping holes and rips in the fabric, a reminder of something missing and a nod to their sinewy and articulate torsos.  

As Abraham vowed not to make "a downer piece," the evening was infused with both poignancy and humor.  The first half included stand-out moments such as the male trio set to haunting, ambient sound with no lyrics, and a duet with barely any contact but a clear communication without words.  

The second half had the audience laughing out loud as the company paid tribute to WAMO's old radio segment, "Make it or Break it," and the voice of a "community member" calling in to give a less than perfect on-air performance.  

Through all the laughter, a serious through-line remained as the movement became more frenetic, and the familiar lyrics to songs like "Mr. Big Stuff" and "Reunited" frequently cut out with the sound of static into silence.

Abraham's quick and idiosyncratic movement seemed to be infused this year with a wider and broader vocabulary, perhaps inspired by his time spent in New York.  "The Radio Show" proved his staying power as a choreographer and has Pittsburgh anxious for more performances in the future.

To watch video footage of the company and their time in Pittsburgh, click here.