Dance is one part of the natural world: Lyon Opera Ballet in NYC
Our take
The Lyon Opera Ballet's recent performance at New York City Center, marking the opening of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival, is not merely a showcase of artistic prowess; it is a vital reminder of dance's intrinsic connection to the natural world. With two compelling works, Merce Cunningham's *BIPED* and Christos Papadopoulos' *Mycelium*, the performance transcends the stage, inviting audiences to reflect on the synergy between movement, technology, and nature. As we navigate the complexities of modern life, experiences like these remind us of the beauty and freedom that dance can offer, paralleling sentiments expressed in discussions about the transformative power of the arts, like in our recent article, Dance takes center stage in Lincoln Center’s ‘Summer for the City’.
*Cunningham's BIPED*, with its innovative use of digital projections, evokes nostalgia for the early internet era while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of what dance can be. The projections not only enhance the visual experience but also serve as a commentary on the human condition and our relationship with technology. This intersection of digital and physical realms resonates in our current age, where the lines between reality and virtuality are increasingly blurred. It invites us to ponder how technology shapes our perceptions of movement and connection, and it echoes themes from works like Book review: Gavin Larsen and Gene Schiavone’s ‘Infinite Steps: Thirty-three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet’, where the personal narratives of dancers illuminate the profound impact of dance on individual lives.
On the other hand, *Mycelium* by Papadopoulos dives deeper into the organic and communal aspects of existence. Named after the underground networks of fungi that sustain ecosystems, this piece emphasizes interconnectedness, mirroring the way dance itself connects individuals and communities. As we witness the dancers embody these themes, we are reminded of the importance of unity and collaboration in both art and life. In a society often marked by division, performances like these serve as a powerful antidote, promoting body positivity and encouraging audiences to embrace their authentic selves. This celebration of diversity and self-expression aligns beautifully with the body-positive movement, which champions love for oneself, as I often encourage in my fitness journey.
The Lyon Opera Ballet’s performance is a testament to the enduring relevance of dance as a medium of expression and exploration. It beckons us to consider how we can integrate these principles into our daily lives, whether through movement, creativity, or simply embracing our bodies as they are. Each dancer's performance serves as a reminder that, much like the rhythms of nature, our bodies are meant to move, to express, and to connect.
As we look forward to the rest of the Dance Reflections festival and other upcoming events in the dance community, one must ask: how will these artistic endeavors continue to influence our understanding of self, others, and the world around us? In an era where the arts are often overshadowed by technology, performances like those of the Lyon Opera Ballet stand as a beacon of hope, urging us to return to our roots while simultaneously exploring new horizons. The dialogue between dance and the natural world is far from over; in fact, it is just beginning.
New York City Center, New York, NY.
February 21, 2026.
Lyon Opera Ballet returns to New York City Center as the opening performance of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival, a several week event with companies dancing all over NYC. Lyon Opera Ballet performed two works: BIPED by Merce Cunningham, and Mycelium by Christos Papadopoulos.
BIPED, created in 1999, utilizes digital projection on a scrim in front of the dancers, of both moving, rendering human form in movement, as well as abstracts shapes and objects. Certain projections were created using motion capture of actual dancers. Watching the piece in 2026 made me nostalgic for the early days of the internet, as the projections reminded me of those early web pages – although this was more carefully constructed. Cunningham was a fan of integrating technology into his dances, and had been doing so in some form since the late 1980s. For BIPED, he utilized the software he helped create, DanceForms, to aid creating the choreography. Despite all the technology, I still enjoyed the live dancing the most. Watching the piece felt like an education in dance history, while being a relevant conversation about how much value technology adds to our lives and our art.
In a complete change of tone, the second work of the night was Mycelium. Mycelium is the structure of a fungus, threadlike in its display, something that continually expands and reaches for new forms. Mycelium, the dance, behaves in the same way. All dancers are clad in simple black costumes and move as a group, flowing together with teeny tiny steps. The group resembles a flock of birds, separate from each other, but united as a whole body – moving through the sky (birds), or across the stage (dancers). Watching this creation was meditative and lovely. It epitomized the idea of individuals working together to serve the beauty and stability of the whole group. It was a mesmerizing end to the evening. While not filled with technical feats of dance, the commitment of the group to each other and to gentle task at hand served as a reminder that dance is one part of the natural world, if we can see it as so.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
The post Dance is one part of the natural world: Lyon Opera Ballet in NYC appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine.
Read on the original site
Open the publisher's page for the full experience