{"id":237601,"date":"2026-03-26T14:31:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T14:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/237601\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T14:31:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T14:31:10","slug":"driving-through-memories-in-indigo-dance-companys-dont-you-remember","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/237601\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving through memories in Indigo Dance Company\u2019s \u2018Don\u2019t You Remember?\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The car engine hums, and the radio static hisses in the background. In the audio soundscape, a voice pierces through the car\u2019s rumble. The voice talks about someone they grew close to and who is no longer there. There is an empty seat in the car and in their heart.<\/p>\n<p><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.feelingindigo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Indigo Dance Company\u2019s<\/a> \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d at <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.highwaysperformance.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Highways Performance Space<\/a> on March 20 and 21, 2026, grapples with the emotions tethered to a person who is no longer there. The contemporary project-based dance company, led by <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/daniiburd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Dani Burd<\/a> and <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/maddogthomas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Madi Thomas<\/a>, approaches this feeling of loss with direct and abstract movement. The choreography by Burd, Thomas and the company\u2019s movement collaborators (Abbey Raymond, David Bernal Fuentes, Elsie Neilson, Gia Bella, Mara Hancock, Jen Vieweg, and Sammy Macias) showcases each dancer\u2019s artistic style in a movement collage. The final product has some hearty moments, but the narrative sometimes gets lost in the abstraction. The road ahead of the car seems foggier than promised.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ladancechronicle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41690\" class=\"wp-image-41690 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Indigo Dance Company in &quot;Don't You Remember?&quot; - Photo by Madison Stonefield.\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-41690\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Indigo Dance Company in \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d \u2013 Photo by Madison Stonefield.<\/p>\n<p>Following the immersive moment in the car, the doors open and the roof lifts. The dance utilizes the remnants of this metaphorical car to branch out separate scenarios associated with a drive without a loved one in the passenger seat. At times, the unified movement phrases and colliding bodies feel far too distant from the original narrative. Although abstraction is definitely welcome, it still requires a grounding truth. Here, it is a loss, but the person is a bit ambiguous. Did an accident happen? Was it a breakup? Did a best friend move across the country? The show demands that the quiet part be said out loud. Without it, the abstract movement loses its texture. For example, an emotive connection between two dancers on stage loses its prowess. Is this hug one with someone who passed away or someone who broke the other\u2019s heart? The distinction is important because the different hugs hold different weights. Without the truth of the situation, the abstraction fully dissolves the narrative (and the car).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ladancechronicle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/12.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41692\" class=\"wp-image-41692 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/12-1024x819.jpg\" alt=\"Indigo Dance Company in &quot;Don't You Remember?&quot; - Photo by Madison Stonefield.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-41692\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Indigo Dance Company in \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d \u2013 Photo by Madison Stonefield.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the ambiguity, \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d utilizes innovative theatrical conventions that give the work shape. In one section, Raymond lunges diagonally, attempting to reach something\u2014or someone. The other dancers keep her from making any progress, turning their bodies into obstacles she must climb and claw out of. Meanwhile, the ensemble\u2019s formations are said aloud. One member at a time shouts, \u201cBackward,\u201d \u201cForward\u201d and \u201cExpand,\u201d dictating the choreography. The work gains an exciting layer from moments like this one.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the car, the piece also introduces a phone motif. Throughout the show, people speak into a mock phone in their hands. These Easter eggs pay off in a scene where Macias struggles to talk on a phone call. Other dancers scatter around him, asking, \u201cAre you okay?\u201d His acting performance is mesmerizing and grounded. His vocal variety provides new interpretations of his emotional reactions to each question. His movement also varies, as he shifts from contemporary to popping.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ladancechronicle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/22.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41693\" class=\"wp-image-41693 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/22-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Indigo Dance Company in &quot;Don't You Remember?&quot; - Photo by Madison Stonefield.\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-41693\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Indigo Dance Company in \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d \u2013 Photo by Madison Stonefield.<\/p>\n<p>The overall choreographic aesthetic is complex, revealing the sophistication of Indigo Dance Company\u2019s work. Since their model is collaborative, the movement language lets the dancers embrace their individual styles. This approach creates a stark difference between the show\u2019s unified phrases and the sections where the dancers peel away. Once unified with the same levels, steps and intentions, the dancers separate and reconnect to their own stylized movement, creating a dramatic transition into a new phrase. The dancers soon develop their own characters for the audience to follow.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ladancechronicle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/15.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41695\" class=\"wp-image-41695 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/15-1024x819.jpg\" alt=\"Indigo Dance Company in &quot;Don't You Remember?&quot; - Photo by Madison Stonefield.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-41695\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Indigo Dance Company in \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d \u2013 Photo by Madison Stonefield.<\/p>\n<p>Macias and Bella\u2019s characters are particularly magnetic. The final section of \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d centers on Macias and Bella dancing and lip-singing to a live performance of \u201cAngel from Montgomery\u201d by John Prine and Bonnie Raitt. They have fun. Bella has a strong presence, connecting with the audience and turning the dance stage into a music festival set. She hitches onto each word and brings them to life with exuberant swings of the arms. Macias takes a more subtle approach, sauntering around Bella while upholding the same amount of intensity in his eyes and soft popping movements. Together, they sway their hips in unison and play around. The section is full of energy, emotion and fun.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ladancechronicle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/23.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41694\" class=\"wp-image-41694 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/23-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Indigo Dance Company in &quot;Don't You Remember?&quot; - Photo by Madison Stonefield.\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-41694\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Indigo Dance Company in \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d \u2013 Photo by Madison Stonefield.<\/p>\n<p>Here, the car returns into view. A single spotlight is portrayed against the back wall, like headlights. When their fun comes to an end, they slowly walk toward it and then in opposite directions. A true separation. After such a high-spirited duet, this somber reality sinks in and clutches onto the heart.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ladancechronicle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Indigo-Dance-Photo-by-Madison-Stonefield.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41697\" class=\"wp-image-41697 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Indigo-Dance-Photo-by-Madison-Stonefield-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Indigo Dance Company in &quot;Don't You Remember?&quot; - Photo by Madison Stonefield.\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-41697\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Indigo Dance Company in \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d \u2013 Photo by Madison Stonefield.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d is a strong meditation on separation helmed by high-caliber dance elements. However, the show misses a detail of truth needed to ground its abstraction with the same weight presented at the beginning and end. The rattle of the car engine is still there; it just needs a nice rev.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about Indigo Dance Company, please visit their <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.feelingindigo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For more information about Highways Performance Space, please visit their <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.highwaysperformance.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Written by Steven Vargas for LA Dance Chronicle.<\/p>\n<p>Featured image: Indigo Dance Company in \u201cDon\u2019t You Remember?\u201d \u2013 Photo by Madison Stonefield.<\/p>\n<p>Please follow us on <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LADanceChronicle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Facebook<\/a>, <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ladancechronicle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Instagram<\/a>, <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/jeffdancer.bsky.social\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">BlueSky<\/a>, and <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/76264153\/admin\/dashboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The car engine hums, and the radio static hisses in the background. In the audio soundscape, a voice&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":237602,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[131,133,132],"class_list":["post-237601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237601"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237601\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/237602"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}