BareFace is a fresh and enthralling story that leans into the best of what dance has been and blazes a trail into what dance is becoming. With a refreshing focus on dance as the main mechanism to move the story forward, Rubio Slager disentangles her story from the usual pomp and circumstance. Instead, the story is almost cinematic in its pacing and storytelling, clever in its use of physicality, sweeping stage pictures, and gliding sets to guide the audience into the futuristic world of Glome. Inspired by the ancient myth of Cupid and Psyche, Rubio Slager tells a female-driven, utterly compelling story of love, jealousy, and a case against the gods.The story begs us to look inward at our desire for love and to ask whether or not we honestly understand the depths of our own hearts. We remain faceless until we are brave enough to look staunchly upon the ugliness of our duplicitous motives. We become beautiful when we release jealousy and embrace the truly selfless love of the divine. Set in the futuristic post-apocalyptic Grecian of Glome, audiences can expect to be gripped by the dynamic storytelling through the impressive athletic prowess of Ballet 5:8’s dance artists. The full-length story ballet is brought to life by costume designer Lorianne Robertson, sets by Sarah L. Freeman & Graham Loutham, and projections by Sarah L. Freeman & Julianna Rubio Slager.
