I remember when I had the privilege of seeing “Cats” for the first time, I thought it was so cool that the audience was able to walk the stage during intermission to view the set.  That was the closest I ever got to a dance stage – until now.  The world premiere of “The False and True are One” (December 3rd and 4th) was a chance for the audience to actually step onto the stage during the performance.  It’s an experimental idea, and one Choreographer Liss Fain wasn’t sure would work.  Opening night she found out it not only worked, it was a huge success.  I was lucky to be there with my camera to capture the contemporary dance company and Fain — who’s known for taking chances.  The show is also very poetic. Dancers move to music, but more importantly – they move to narration of the text of short stories by author Lydia Davis.  Davis’ work is known for being short, humorous, and philosophical.  There are four different galleries set up and it’s sort of like stepping into a moving masterpiece. Z Space at Theater Artaud was a brilliant backdrop for the unique performance.  The building that houses the theater was built as a tooling factory for the American Can Company in 1925.

Fain plans to continue the theme at additional venues.  According to Fain’s  website, since 2007, Liss Fain Dance (LFD) has performed at festivals in Poland and Belarus and in St. Petersburg, Russia.  The idea for The False and True are One was born during a recent performance in Germany.