Angular Momentum

Angular momentum—the rotational analog of linear momentum—is a physics concept with both direction and magnitude. Choreographer Aszure Barton delves into this concept through bold movement and phrasing, creating tilting bodies as graphic shapes that play with scale, drawing attention to beautifully odd human geometries as individuals and as a collective. The result is powerfully commanding dance that is deeply musical and unexpectedly playful. The ballet is set to Mason Bates' "The B Sides: Five Pieces for Orchestra and Electronica," a score that fuses orchestral and electronic elements, including audio from the moon landing. As CultureMap Houston observed, "Angular Momentum appears as a test of temporality, of pacing, of dynamics and volume. The dancers seem almost inhuman at times, like robots or androids. They stare blankly. And then, they stare intently, and without warning they become fiercely physical and unmistakably sensual."

Photos courtesy of Houston Ballet