Artistry and passion through diverse styles of dance kept the audience on their toes at the SBCC Dance Company’s “Collective Collaborative 2021” show at the New Vic Theatre on Friday, Nov. 5.

Dance Director Tracy Kofford brought together nine different companies from across the Santa Barbara and Los Angeles area and provided them a space to exhibit their talent. The show was made up of 14 performances and had a second night on Saturday, Nov. 6. 

The production included numbers from SBCC Dance Company, FUSE Dance Company, State Street Ballet’s Professional Track, AkomiDance, UCSB Dance Company, LA Dance Moves, Santa Barbara Festival Ballet, Sespe Dance Co., Jess Harper & Dancers and Santa Barbara Dance Arts.

The majority of the night consisted of unique contemporary styles, with two ballet pieces and a few upbeat performances.

Pieces from SBCC Dance Company, FUSE Dance Company, and Sespe Dance Co. had similar styles, with eccentric music choices that embodied instrumentals and songs with no lyrics. 

When a performance took the stage that was different from these pieces, it was nice to see the contrasting emotions and a change in technique. 

UCSB Dance Company was very impressive and a crowd favorite on the night. Their performance “Group Autogenics,” choreographed by Derion Loman and Madison Olandt, was highly expressive, technical and unlike any dance one would typically see. 

The music was peculiar in the best way, with different sounds and audio recordings beaming from the stage. The performance was so engaging it left the audience craving more. 

AkomiDance featured a solo performance titled “Arrival.” Performer Melesio A. Aceves caught the audience’s attention with razor-sharp hits and choreography to match every beat in the song. No matter where one was sitting in the theater, it felt as if they were on the stage with Aceves. 

Each performance had its own lighting style which showcased a variety of colors, each meant to match the emotion portrayed through the dance and create a beautiful atmosphere on the stage. 

State Street Ballet’s Professional Track brought lovely energy and presentation to the stage. The trio of Caleb Knight, Emma Maple and Allie Mikalatos showcased an elegant dance that left smiles on faces in the crowd. 

After the intermission, Santa Barbara Dance Arts gave the viewers a memorable and attention-grabbing performance. Their piece “Merry Happy,” choreographed by Joshua Manculich, was cheerful, short and stood in contrast to the majority of the other performances which ranged from around four to five minutes. 

The night ended with a piece titled “Ride” from the UCSB Dance Company. The performance stood out with ear-piercing audio that made it almost hard to focus on the dance itself. Although the song choice was odd, it worked as the dancers portrayed an eerie and strange ambiance to finish the night on a mysterious note. 

As a whole, the “Collective Collaborative” revealed pieces that the dancers had been working on for a long time, and allowed them to express their creativity for an engaged and appreciative audience.