Complexions Contemporary Ballet graced the stage this past week for the stunning conclusion to Des Moines Performing Arts’ 2025-2026 Dance Series. The program was a celebration of artistry and skill, featuring dancers of varying heights, ethnicities and genders as well as music of differing eras and genres. In an art form that often favors visual uniformity, Complexions Contemporary Ballet proved that diversity and dance form a powerful partnership, one that speaks to emotions we all share.
The first offering of the evening, Beethoven Concerto, had a jarring start due to the sound system. This excessive volume became less noticeable as the performance progressed, but the recording of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto #5 suffered the most from this unbalanced and occasionally distorted sound. Each piece for the evening was choreographed by Dwight Rhoden, co-founding artistic director and choreographer for Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Rhoden opened the evening with bold choreography and a captivating display of athleticism. Dynamic movement and lighting emphasized the muscles of each dancer onstage.
The program notes indicated that this choreography was created to simultaneously work with Beethoven’s concerto and another composition, which was fascinating to consider. I would be curious to see the same choreography in an entirely new and perhaps less traditional musical context.
The second piece on the program — Deeply, set to Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel —was a compelling contrast to the opening number. The choreography was an intimate exploration of longing and angst. The trio of dancers, Jillian Davis, Joe González and Vincenzo Di Primo, executed the choreography with precision and nuance, a human knot tangling and untangling seamlessly. Their connection to the raw emotion of the piece was undeniable, the yearning on their faces profound as they pushed and pulled against each other. I felt like I was watching a throuple going through a messy break-up, or a beautiful trainwreck unfolding before a rapt audience.
The third piece was Gone, performed by another trio of dancers; Aristotle Luna, Aeron Buchanan and Manuael Vaccaro. Rhoden’s choreography, set to the haunting music of Odetta Holmes’ “Another Man Done Gone,” was stark and angular. Unlike its predecessor which highlighted the emotions on the dancers’ faces, the lighting of this piece seemed designed to obscure their expressions. This manufactured anonymity was fitting given the lyrics and Odetta’s raw vocals, both the music and movement stripped bare.
“Ave Maria” was next on the program. Set to a melody disputedly written by Giulio Caccini and performed by what I assumed was a countertenor singer, the soundtrack was an otherworldly fusion of baroque music and 1980s synth pop. Rhoden’s choreography leaned into the fantasy vibes, romantic and surreal. The two dancers, Chloe Durea and Bilgude Ariunbold, demonstrated remarkable control and skill. Durea in particular garnered applause for her impressively prolonged grand plié en pointe.
The first half of the performance came to an epic conclusion with Mercy. The lighting and costumes evoked the suspense and mystery of an ancient temple, and Hans Zimmer’s music delivered drama as always. The dancers became unsettling acolytes, boldly emerging from the shadows until the entire company was onstage.
The choreography made clever use of large planter pots, using these props to add percussive sounds and visual levels to what might otherwise be a crowded stage. Despite my strong suspicions that this scene would end in some sort of human sacrifice, I didn’t notice any dancers missing in the latter half of the program.
After intermission, the audience enjoyed For Crying Out Loud, a balletic ode to the rock band U2. Rhoden’s choreography displayed a variety of pairings and ensembles, the emotional range transforming through each of the six movements. The grand finale built to an energetic conclusion, but the momentum was cut short by a rather abrupt ending. The curtain suddenly lowered as the dancers continued their sequence, leaving the audience wondering if the choreographer couldn’t quite decide how to wrap things up. An unfortunately anticlimactic ending to an otherwise extraordinary evening of dance.
Once again, I must commend Des Moines Performing Arts for bringing world-class dance to our local stage. From Beethoven to Bono, Complexions Contemporary Ballet offered the audience an evening of true artistry as well as a potent reminder that, despite what certain celebrities may believe, ballet is more relevant than ever.
