{"id":155037,"date":"2026-01-29T15:42:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/155037\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T15:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:42:08","slug":"the-complications-of-staying-the-course-in-taq-dances-cue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/155037\/","title":{"rendered":"The complications of staying the course in TAQ Dance\u2019s \u2018Cue\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

It begins with a solo, and then a monologue\u2026 wait, no. Was it a jazz funk number? No. Let\u2019s start again. TAQ Dance\u2019s<\/a> \u201cCue\u201d transports you into the mind of a dancer still in rehearsal, jumbled memory included. As dancers, there\u2019s plenty of drilling and exploration that goes behind the final product presented on stage. Behind the fa\u00e7ade of perfection is a messy process seldom witnessed by the outside world, but choreographer Sasha Marlan-Librett<\/a> challenges this status quo.<\/p>\n

\"Dance<\/a><\/p>\n

Dance at the Odyssey \u2013 TAQ Dance \u2013 \u201cCue\u201d, choreography by Sasha Marlan-Librett \u2013 Photo by Jonathan Young.<\/p>\n

\u201cCue,\u201d which had its West Coast premiere at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble\u2019s<\/a> Dance at the Odyssey festival Jan. 22-24, 2026, is a meta, theatrical dance piece immersed in a rehearsal with four dancers: Audrey Allen, Joe Tennis, Madison McGain and Megan Siepka. As they run through their lines and movements, the set choreography gets muddled. The work challenges them to improvise or find the precise steps deep in their memory. Watching this quartet comically fumble and problem-solve is only part of the work\u2019s magic. Beneath the hiccups crafted by Marlan-Librett is a message of persistence, trust and accountability.<\/p>\n

The work first fulfills the expectations of a dance performance; the music plays, and a performer moves through the steps center stage. It\u2019s easy to become dissatisfied in the first few minutes of \u201cCue\u201d as McGain performs her solo, which later becomes a revisited motif. The execution is dry, as if she\u2019s simply going through the motions, but that\u2019s the point. The music ends, the lights go up and McGain paces the stage trying to remember the choreography. This is the real show. Marlan-Librett smartly creates an illusion of reality, subverting our preconceived notions of a dance performance\u2019s DNA. It\u2019s masterful world-building that gets more and more complicated as the show (and performers\u2019 indecision) continues.<\/p>\n

\"Dance<\/a><\/p>\n

Dance at the Odyssey \u2013 TAQ Dance \u2013 \u201cCue\u201d, choreography by Sasha Marlan-Librett \u2013 Photo by Jonathan Young.<\/p>\n

The dancing stops, and the performers transition into discussion. The scripting of the work amplifies the relationships crafted in the choreography, giving each dancer a character with conflicting intentions. McGain wants to give the work a fresh take, but Allen demands that everyone not stray from the choreography (especially because she has the best memory of it and any deviation will knock her off her throne). Tennis is antsy to perform his TED Talk monologue, but the others interrupt him. When he\u2019s not obsessed over his lines, he\u2019s making romantic advances at Siepka, who couldn\u2019t care less about anyone else because she is determined to shine. The dialogue is dramaturgically complex, weaving nonsensical statements \u2014 including a remark about how easy it is to perform in a group because you can rely on others to remember the choreography \u2014 into the narrative to highlight the central themes inside the humorous mayhem.<\/p>\n

\"Dance<\/a><\/p>\n

Dance at the Odyssey \u2013 TAQ Dance \u2013 \u201cCue\u201d, choreography by Sasha Marlan-Librett \u2013 Photo by Jonathan Young.<\/p>\n

The comedy in \u201cCue\u201d is multilayered. Of course, there are incessant jabs and remarks about each other\u2019s flaws, but in addition to these sprinkled quips, the choreography surrounding the humor embodies the character dynamics. For instance, when McGain suggests changing the choreography in the solo, Allen is so disturbed by the suggestion that she forgets to initiate the following cardio jazz section. Her lapse in perfection comes across on her face as she struggles through the initial steps. She\u2019s off kilter, at least until she remembers she\u2019s the best and continues the energetic routine with a smile on her face. Her dizzying emotions pull out a laugh, especially when McGain finally performs her ideas, and Allen quickly shifts from an open-minded smile to a dissatisfied, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dance<\/a><\/p>\n

Dance at the Odyssey \u2013 TAQ Dance \u2013 \u201cCue\u201d, choreography by Sasha Marlan-Librett \u2013 Photo by Jonathan Young.<\/p>\n

During Tennis\u2019s long-awaited TED Talk, the heart of the show surfaces. He talks about staying on course. At first, he interprets this notion as sticking to the plan, or in this case, steps. Siepka performs alongside his musing. As he witnesses her improvise out of a misstep, he crafts a new interpretation that emphasizes the importance of pushing through murky waters, even when the intended execution is forgotten. Siepka sustains a prolonged relev\u00e9 \u2014 a feat on its own \u2014 as she tosses out the intended choreography and improvises.<\/p>\n

\"Dance<\/a><\/p>\n

Dance at the Odyssey \u2013 TAQ Dance \u2013 \u201cCue\u201d, choreography by Sasha Marlan-Librett \u2013 Photo by Jonathan Young.<\/p>\n

After their first failed attempt at marking the work, they go back to the beginning. It is much more chaotic than the first iteration, but it is also much more captivating. Allen sticks out in her performance of the solo, discovering new textures by allowing her character\u2019s emotions to impact the choreography. Once static moments are brought to life with a faster tempo or a slow, elongated swing of the arms. Various steps within the solo make their way into chaos. They mumble and groan, offering their own ideas on what the next step may be.<\/p>\n

Tennis\u2019s questions about what it takes to stay on course hover over their conflicting dance. They literally pile on top of each other and fall out of sync. They mutually agree to end the show with improvisation, doing what must be done to give the audience a show. The outcome is more than movement; it is a beautiful experiment in radical trust. As ensemble members stray from the performance space, trying to escape and disconnect from the group, the others pull them back in and keep them accountable to the group\u2019s new mission.<\/p>\n

\"Dance<\/a><\/p>\n

Dance at the Odyssey \u2013 TAQ Dance \u2013 \u201cCue\u201d, choreography by Sasha Marlan-Librett \u2013 Photo by Jonathan Young.<\/p>\n

\u201cCue\u201d invites viewers to reflect on the decisions we make, whether to run or stay the course. The performance constantly negotiates with the consequences of giving in to pressures we have no control over, like our memory. Marlan-Librett posits that uncertainty is simply an obstacle, not an ending. By embracing the community and dancing together, these moments of distress are only temporary. After all, someone else will know the forgotten choreography. And if they don\u2019t, there\u2019s always improvisation.<\/p>\n

Dance at the Odyssey continues through February 15, 2026.\u00a0 For more information and to purchase tickets please visit the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more information about TAQ Dance, please visit their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Written by Steven Vargas for LA Dance Chronicle.<\/p>\n

Featured image: Dance at the Odyssey \u2013 TAQ Dance \u2013 \u201cCue\u201c, choreography by Sasha Marlan-Librett \u2013 Photo by Jonathan Young.<\/p>\n

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