Déjà vu is central to Pascal Rioult's choreographic vocabulary with revisits to Martha Graham, Mark Morris and a blush of Balanchine along with a circular arc to a work's development whereby the ending loops back to the beginning with similar movement albeit at a varying tempo. Rioult Dance NY's all-Bach program was abetted by fine playing by the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra conducted by James Caraher, robust projection design by Harry Feiner, projection animation by Brian Clifford Beasley, lighting by David Finley and costumes by Karen Young.

Riout's "Views of the Fleeting World" was a theatrical exploration of movement across time and place set to J.S. Bach's "The Art of Fugue"— the root of which was the act of fleeing. Yet the work circled back upon itself seeking the essence of connectivity. The warp of humanity was interwoven with the woof of designs inherent to different cultures. Silver leotards were overlaid alternately with red pleated and flowing black skirts for the company of nine to create snapshot scenes. With Riout's "City" set to J. S. Bach's "Sonata for Violin and Piano #6 in G major", four dancers in street clothes emerged from a madding crowd and alongside projections of deconstructing buildings they connected as couples, separate, clinging to new partnering, yearning for what was lost only to disappear into the mass.

"Celestial Tides" layered a calm, controlled emotionality upon J. S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B-flat major" as dancers in midnight blue swimsuits ebbed and flowed in and out of groupings for momentary posing in varying configurations reminding one of the statuary around Rockerfeller Plaza. It was also a homecoming for company member Holt Walborn, who earned a BFA in Dance at Butler.

Rioult Dance NY in Pascal Rioult's "Celestial Tides". Photo © & courtesy of Whitney Browne