HQ Review: Collective Pulse’s inaugural performance “What Moves Us”
Collective Pulse’s concert “What Moves Us” premiered for one night at Sun Theatre March 14. With eight pieces ranging in both tone and style, it featured performers from local companies, freelance artists and full-time professionals with careers outside of the dance industry.
Collective Pulse began in the summer of 2025 with a mission to “be a bridge for all bodies seeking to make professional dance a part of their lives.” Founding members Thomas Proctor, Jenny Dyson, Jessy Dyson, and Jeanie Stephenson choreographed the evening’s works.
Sultry and commanding, “Rush” by Jeanie Stephenson opened the concert to Troye Sivan’s track by the same name. One-by-one, three spotlights lit the stage with a single performer poised beneath. A flowing transition welcomed three more dancers, and the six artists took over the choreography with confidence. The work’s commercial movement showcased the performers’ physical awareness, the pulsating bass and upbeat movement highlighted by exciting shifts in lighting. A strobe lighting effect set the visual of a club scene, generating the sensation of dance-induced euphoria.
Jenny and Jessy Dyson’s chilling work “Overcome, Overtaken” took the stage next, examining power dynamics and individual vs. group identity. Fluctuating between representations of hypnotic, trance-like states and moments of frantic agitation, the performers portrayed a slow descent of mental stability. Like dominos, each artist appeared to be overcome by whatever force was after them, the moment marked by a stark reach of their hands into the air. The force seemed to be both within and outside of the group; at some points they fearfully examined their surroundings, at others, they turned against each other. In the end, one dancer was left, and in silence and silhouetted by red light, she decisively joined the rest with a resolute stomp of her foot.
“Iridescent Contamination” broached the topic of environmental destruction through the lens of birds impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, recounting the disaster and its wreckage of avian life using strips of fabric. To open, Thomas Proctor, choreographer, and duet partner Courtney Tate painted a picture of blissful ignorance, their upper bodies waving with bird-like qualities. Intricately woven partnerwork between Proctor and Tate was forced to turn defensive as artists in pitch black leotards crawled in on the low level, attempting to ‘capture’ the two with the black fabric. This work’s direct imagery empathetically approached the topic of ecological disaster, embodying the power-hungry forces driving the destruction and the defenseless beings forced to reckon with the mess.
Failed handshakes and intentionally awkward moments were all over Proctor’s next piece “Missed Connections.” The performers took on a quality of awkwardness to demonstrate the discomfort of vulnerability, moving between attempts at flirtation and outbursts of dramatic frustration. This relatable work seemed dedicated to representing the unfortunate moments of dating and relationships, approaching the topic with lighthearted humor and physical comedy.
Compositionally and comedically rich, “Capture the Flag” was the evening’s thrill. The quartet, featuring choreographer Proctor, Megan Elseth, Nathan Krueger and Sam Schenkein, had one clear objective: Capture the flag. Entering to the sound of beachwaves wearing swimwear and striped playsuits, the four acrobatically battled for the flag prop, their cartoonish movements evoking the mischief and misfortune of an old-time slapstick. In a climactic moment, Proctor and Schenkein took base as Krueker and Elseth climbed their structure, Elseth reaching the peak and apprehending the flag before leaping offstage in victory.
The group piece “Double Standards” by Jenny and Jessy Dyson was performed in heels, the program note referring to them as symbols of both constraint and command. To the sound of “Flawless” by Beyonce—which features spoken word by writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie— and “Cancelled” by Taylor Swift, the work used commercial choreography and chairs to establish a commanding presence. Moments of rolloff canons moved into unison phrases, organizing into a shared power. While the topic of feminine power is broad, the work seemed to focus on female strength and community.
Jenny and Jessy Dyson’s work “Ennui” represented a transformation from heavy monotony to hopefulness, emphasizing the importance of community. Beginning separately using individual phrases, there was an energy of weightedness in their movement that began to shift into joy as each dancer removed their gray sweatshirts to reveal colorful leotards. This optimistic work ended in an exhale downstage, the five artists in a line lifting their chins up to the light.
The final work of the night, “Hemispheres,” by Thomas Proctor, featured a large group, but opened with soloist Abby Zaiz. Clearly afflicted, Zaiz used tightly-bound isolations to embody a feeling of anguish. Two groups emerged from the wings wearing red and green leotards, appearing to represent the two sides of her brain. Zaiz is pulled between the two, their force almost devouring her. In the end, she faces the two and seems to achieve a level of balance and control.
The evening's show was a strong start for the collective, featuring ten local artists alongside the four co-founders. A passion and eagerness to make new work and opportunities for a growing local scene was evident, and the broad range of movement and topics approached is an exciting development for artists looking to engage or re-engage with professional dance.