Dance Performance Review: The Rocky Horror Show

Rocky Horror follows the story of a couple that finds themselves lost in the house of a Transylvanian scientist known as Doctor Frank-N-Furter. In this house, they encounter many outlandish characters and witness the creation of a man named Rocky. The Rocky Horror Show was presented by the University of Texas at Dallas on November 7 at the University Theatre. The story was written by Richard O’Brien and choreographed by Micki Saba. The music director was Mark Mullino. Overall, the intricate set design and the interesting personalities of all the characters contributed to the overall bizarre, comical storyline. However, I found the chaos created by the choreography and conflict created a cohesive atmosphere, allowing pieces to flow together effectively.

The piece where the protagonists, Janet and Brad, first encounter Doctor Frank-N-Furter is a prime example of the dance’s use of chaos as a choreographic element. The many characters introduced were all dressed in mismatched costuming, with the protagonists being the only two in bland, ordinary clothing. The music during this time was fast, and the Transylvanian residents danced at a fast tempo even from the beginning. The residents, or phantoms, were also scattered in different small groups or pairs, and did not move synchronously as a whole. I would characterize this piece as jazz dance, evident in the intricate footwork and syncopated rhythms it adapts at times. The time factor of their motion could be characterized as sudden, and many of the dancers moved back and forth or side to side abruptly. Their angular motions created by the quick movements of their arms and legs allowed motion to quickly stop and start again, adding to the general disharmony of the piece. Some were dancing in a waltz, others were bopping their shoulders, and the movements varied wildly. Because many of the dancers were performing different movements at the same time, it created a sense of disarray that only emphasized Janet and Brad’s feelings of fear and not belonging in the strange group.

As this piece continues, Janet and Brad begin to understand the dynamic of the group. They begin to change their clothing to reflect the carefree nature of their peers and find their movement within the group. This does not mean that they moved in the same way, but rather Janet and Brad found their own unique movements that meshed well in the grand scheme of the piece. Ironically, the unruliness and anarchy was used to illustrate the harmony of the group and reflect how the characters interacted with one another. Establishing this relationship at the beginning of the dance illustrated the protagonists’ internal battle with sticking to their “norms” versus allowing themselves to let loose and give into the carelessness. In a way, the chaotic atmosphere was used to unite the characters and tie the story together.