This dance performance of six newly choreographed works developed over the past four months was dramatically different, with its collaboration of dancers and other artists outside their discipline. Each group of presenting artists took great risks in developing their body of work.

B'roke, choreographed by Bill Wade, with richly colored costumes by visual artists Kristin Wade and Stacy Chech, was inspired by Frank Stella's paintings and performed to baroque music. The piece really did bring up images of Stella's three-dimensional paintings with the dancers' movement matching the dynamics of shape, color, rhythm, and texture one would find in Stella's work.

Querida, choreographed by Amy Montonini and Mike McNamara, with music composed by McNamara, brought to mind the smoky, intense ambiance of Spanish flamenco. Montonini and McNamara executed this narrative piece mixing technology such as synthesizers, projected live camera feeds and sound distortion, bringing the traditional art of flamenco into the 21st century. Add to this the live rhythms of guitar and body percussions, and one could not take one's eyes off of the steaming performance.

Obulus, choreographed by Tammy Metz Starr, blossomed out of a collaborative effort with a group of Ohio percussionists. Starr's in the moment, Butoh inspired, improvisational work was an intense and thought provoking comment on life, death, and the passage between the two. The dancer moved slowly and deliberately around metal sculptures dropping coins or placing them on her eyes and mouth during her journey.

Thin Skinned, choreographed by Lisa DeCato with text by Jeremy Shubrook, was inspired by a set of provocative latex skins produced by Nancy Prudic for ShutUP, an art exhibition featuring censorship and banned books. DeCato takes the dancer, Carolyn Kelly, through an exploration of skin's sensuality and protective nature, its ability to transmit pain and pleasure, and by the removal of latex "skin" during the performance, the idea of renewal through the process of shedding.

Duet, choreographed by Jennifer Lott, with music by Ryan Lott and video art and motion by Mike Jones, was a dynamic dialogue between the dancer and the moving video image within which she moved. As the dancer performed, the projected video image moved with her, always keeping her within its domain. The projection changed shape when it moved up the walls (movement facilitated by Mike Jones following the dancer during the performance with the projector) and changed in intensity of color, light, and texture as it responded to the dancer throughout the performance.

Celebrating the Harvest of Our Work, choreographed by Sista Jewel Jackson, with input from members of African Soul Dance Theater was a rousing, colorful, action-packed performance with musicians, child performers and Sista Jewel. Rhythms were provided by an extremely dynamic group of drummers as dancers went through a series of movements recalling and celebrating the harvest with arms, legs, and heads rhythmically flying in every direction. It was a wonderful finale to a thought provoking evening. from Cool Cleveland reader and arts educator Nancy Prudic

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