Burlesque

The figures in Donald Byrd's Burlesque inhabit a world of faded dreams juxtaposed against the lustrous elegance of Louis Armstrong’s songs. Byrd's sharp-witted choreography animates a group of disillusioned but spirited performers, denizens of a gritty theatrical underworld who know that the show must go on. "Beneath the dancers' killer attitude, energy, and technical sophistication, there's an intelligent […] teasing perspective that hooks your attention," declared The Village Voice.

The theme behind it all is illusion. “Theater is simply a big illusion. Behind the smiles and high leaps and endless spinning, there’s sadness, intrigue, exhaustion,” Byrd explained. He believes this same philosophy applies to life. He expects people will recognize the similarity between what they are viewing on stage and what is occurring in their own lives. Burlesque is a metaphor for life and for the need for continuity that exists in theater and life alike.