On October 11, 2025, Bodies in Play presented more than just their latest choreography, but an entire new process of working as a dancer in rehearsals and performances. Set at Pieter Performance Space, the night consisted of a preshow presentation of their process, a 30 minute performance, and a Q & A; all of which invited the audience into an evening that was as much about method as performance. The show blurred the lines between rehearsal, experimentation, and finished product, emphasizing the company’s core values of consent and collaboration. Rather than focusing solely on finished choreography, the performance highlighted the conversations, choices, and shared decisions that shape their identity as a collective, creating an experience that felt both intimate and thought-provoking.
Bodies In Play – L-R Matthew Krump, Darby Epperson, Daurin Tavares, Tiffany Sweat, Celine Sauquillo, Andrew Pearson – Photo by Winnie Mu.
From the beginning of the evening the audience was invited into Bodies in Play’s creative process, encouraged to participate through a series of questions that demonstrate putting the human above the product. Audience members chose between green, yellow, orange, and red dots to indicate their comfort level in various categories such as “slow dance intimately with a member of the same sex” or “learn movement with the potential of injury.” Before the performance, viewers could explore several papers and diagrams illustrating the group’s process, gaining insight into their emphasis on transparency and choice. They also highlighted that this freedom cannot exist when certain types of power are present.
Bodies In Play – Clockwise L-R Daurin Tavares, Celine Saquillo, Darby Epperson, Andrew Pearson, Matthew Krump, Tiffany Sweat – Photo by Winnie Mu.
The dancing was relatively brief, a roughly 30 minute performance that carried a comedic tone. The dancers embodied their consent based practice through playful improvisation and ensemble work. One memorable section featured the dancers Celine Sauquillo Davis, Darby Epperson, Matthew Krumpe, Andrew Pearson, Tiffany Sweat, and Daurin Tavares standing in a circle, each contributing a movement of their own. The rest of the group attempted the steps to whatever degree felt right for them, honoring individual limits and choice. Gradually, these gestures evolved into a shared phrase, repeated until each dancer chose to sit out. This section beautifully demonstrated the company’s commitment to personal agency and bodily awareness.
While the piece was short, it offered a fascinating glimpse into the possibilities of this process driven approach. I am interested to see how these ideas might develop over a longer rehearsal period and what potential challenges they may face.
Bodies In Play – L-R Andrew Pearson, Tiffany Sweat, Daurin Tavares, Celine Saquillo, Matthew Krump, Darby Epperson – Photo by Winnie Mu.
At the core of Bodies in Play’s work is the principle of consent. The company has even created a list of situations that members may choose to dissent from, including statements like “the movement hurts” or “per my own assessment, I find the movement to be unflattering on my body.” In the dance world, and artistic spaces in general, prioritizing human comfort over product is still uncommon, especially since dance is an art form that inherently involves physical strain. This led me to think about Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel and the immense physical and psychological pain he endured under the pressure of the pope. What if he had decided to say no? Overall this neglect of self has led to decades of abusive practices in creative industries, but I can’t help but wonder what the effect would be if we remove discomfort and pressure from our art? The trope of the suffering artist is still romanticized to this day, but is this nothing more than a harmful stereotype?
Cast of Bodies In Play – Daurin Tavares in foreground – Photo by Winnie Wu.
Founder Andrew Pearson intentionally steps back, allowing dancers to lead rehearsals and brings in outside voices – Cristina Florez, Rachel Whiting and Sadie Yarrington – to make decisions about choreography and show structure. Although he does recognize that at the end of the day he is the one cutting checks, so is unable to fully eliminate the potential pressure brought on by authority. Companies like Bodies in Play are pushing the field in a new direction, reminding us that artists deserve respect and autonomy in the workplace and should be empowered to take ownership of their bodies and creative choices.
To learn more about Bodies in Play, please visit their website.
For more information about Pieter Performance Space, please visit their website.
Written by Denali Huff for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Bodies In Play – L-R Darby Epperson, Tiffany Sweat, Andrew Pearson, Daurin Tavares, Celine Saquillo, Matthew Krump – Photo by Winnie Mu.
