Urbanity Dance Puts on Unique South End Performance

The South End’s newest dance company is putting on a unique show that takes place in not one, but five locations around the neighborhood.

Between the Lines, a performance by Urbanity Dance, is an interactive performance following the story of Constance, a young girl struggling to break away from her oppressive family and forge her own path. The show takes place in five different locations around the South End, with each location exploring a difference aspect of Constance’s struggle.

Audience members will be led by dancers to each location including two local art galleries and Urbanity’s . The set-up is meant to encourage audience participation and challenge the boundaries of traditional performances, according to Urbanity’s founder and director Betsi Graves.

“[There’s] a lot more possibility when you’re not limited to a…black-box style theater,” Graves said. “The audience feels a certain responsibility to be involved with the action when they’re physically so close to the dancers. This responsibility can bring the experience to a whole new level.”

A different type of dance will be showcased in each location, lending an unpredictable nature to the evening.

“That’s what’s going to be so engaging about this show,” said dancer Nicole Pavone. “[The audience will] leave one room feeling one way and instantly feel different when they walk into the next space.”

Thirty-five Urbanity dancers will be featured in the show, which also includes work by a videographer, two set designers, two journalists, a lighting designer, a mask designer and two fashion designers. 

“We all inspire one another,” Graves said. “Working with these artists reminds me of why I do what I do. Collaborating with one another causes us to feel less restricted to our art form, and we have the power to create something outside of our own genre.”

Tickets for Between the Lines can be purchased online using Brown Paper Tickets or by calling Urbanity Dance at (617) 572-3727 on Tuesdays and Fridays between 10am and 3pm. Admission is $24. Performances are at 7:20pm, 7:40pm, 8:00pm, and 8:20pm on November 17, 18, 19, and 20, respectively. Visit the show’s official website for more information.