Entranced by Fuerza Bruta

July 27, 7:40 PMMiami Nightlife ExaminerTracy Block

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 Underwater wonderment at Fuerza Bruta

Today, I’ll proudly represent Miami performance art buffs by accepting New York’s sloppy seconds. But, just this once…

After hearing the steady, six-week buzz from Design District art drones, I decided it was time to give in to the hype and check out Argentinean-born Fuerza Bruta. My friends who’d seen the show didn’t know how to describe it, they just urged me to catch it before it left Miami. Now on its second extension, the longest-running show at the Adrienne Arsht Center to-date, Fuerza Bruta is in town until last call, Saturday, August 9. If you’ve got an itch for something new to talk about and are an unbiased appreciator of uppity performances that leave you with few words, snag a pair of tickets, a fun friend and your dancing shoes. Begin with a couple of cocktails in the Barton G-catered G-Lounge, which has made a temporary home at the Arsht loading docks, the undisclosed location in which the actual show takes place.

The catch phrase of this 4-year-old show is to “Look Up.” While you huddle amongst a close-knit group of standing-room-only scenesters, flashing lights kick off the start to the hour-long piece that includes flying antics, confetti, dancing and waterplay, laced with cheers, roars and even a DJ clad in a George Washington wig.

From the first scene, I tried to decipher the exact storyline that began to unfold. I found myself wondering if I was watching a scene out of a Utopian society, where a man does the everyday legwork of a union professional and drifts off to sleep, where he’s greeted by dreamy angels flying and twirling above him on mylar tarps. But, just as soon as I thought I’d grasped the show’s concept, I found myself lost in the moment, memorized by both organized dance and impromptu celebrations. The characters encourage audience interaction. They prefer you yell, jump and swing your hips, because that means they know you’re having a good time.

While your mind races to catch up with the vigorous moves your body makes, a peaceful trance-like state calms your being as a suspended adult kiddy pool sends swishes of swirling water overhead. You’re captivated by what seems like a rebirth of the show, where one woman in encompassed by a womb of water. She’s eventually joined by three other playful aquaphiles, who splish and splash as if they’re children losing themselves on an oversized Slip-N-Slide. The apparatus descends, lowering inches above the crowd, where audience members know no barriers, touching and poking the thick, clear sheet that lies between them and the slippery ladies. This ritual repeats and seems to be the highlight of the show, while tools as simple as lights and streams create mindful magic. As the house DJ brings the show to a close, you’re left questioning what exactly it is you just experienced, but perhaps it’s better to walk out with a blank stare and a smile this time around.

After all, there’s always tomorrow to try and rehash. You’ll want to head back into the G-Lounge after party for raucous beats and martinis, where you can dance out the electrifying energy the show has just left pulsing through your veins.