*On the Nature of Things. Photo by Ivan Martinez*

From Broadway World’s “Pilobolus' 'Trips' is Exactly What Dance Needs Right Now” by Audrey Pettit:

“Since its founding in 1973 [1971] by a group of Dartmouth undergraduates, the company has prided itself on creating “rebellious dance,” or, put another way, making dance fun again. Yet as audiences grow grey-haired and certain stars dismiss centuries-old art forms as things “no one cares about,” Pilobolus’ mission feels less like counter-cultural subversion and more like a necessary reimagination of what dance—and watching dance—is and can become.

The company’s 2026 showcase at the Joyce, glibly titled Trips, is an extended imaginative exercise. Before the curtain rises, two “flight attendants” mime a safety briefing and encourage us not merely to silence but to power off our phones: “You can do it,” they coo. Didn’t you come here for a break from the real world, anyway? The program doubles as an aircraft safety card; the intermission becomes a layover. We, the audience, are transformed from passive spectators into fellow voyagers.”

Later in the article:
”I’m usually ready for even the most impressive dance performances to wrap up—my attention falters, my energy dwindles. But when the curtain closes, I linger in my seat, not quite ready for this trip to end. “

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF PROGRAM A AT THE JOYCE

From The Art Fuse’s “Dance Review: After Five Decades, Pilobolus Still Moves Like No One Else” by Christopher Caggiano:

“In Trips, the company’s dancers, as always, possess astonishing strength and precision. But what’s most impressive isn’t individual prowess. Pilobolus has always placed an emphasis on mutual dependence rather than solo virtuosity. Performers become one another’s foundations, counterweights, and extensions, moving with such admirable trust that six separate bodies often appear to function as a single organism. Sculptural balances, gravity-defying lifts, and intricate weight-sharing create living architecture that seems to ignore the ordinary limitations of the human body.

That collaborative spirit gives the choreography an emotional dimension beyond its physical spectacle. The dancers frequently perform in minimal costumes and interact with remarkable intimacy, yet the work never feels prurient. Instead, bodies become instruments of communication, expressing humor, tenderness, vulnerability, and playfulness with equal ease. Even the company’s most astonishing feats avoid empty virtuosity. Every impossible balance or improbable lift serves a larger theatrical or emotional purpose.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF PROGRAM B AT THE JOYCE

Press Coverage: Pilobolus' 'Trips' is Exactly What Dance Needs Right Now

Press Coverage: After Five Decades, Pilobolus Still Moves Like No One Else