Pilobolus’ worlds of illusion

Pilobolus Dance Theatre, the wildly popular company known for its gravity bending partner work and athletic virtuosity, performs at the Ferst Center for the Arts on Thurs., March 25. You may be familiar with their shape-shifting feats from Pilobolus appearances in a variety of advertisements and television programs including the 1997 Academy Awards. But those whimsical vignettes are no substitute for the kinesthetic blast the company delivers during live performance.

Pilobolus was formed in 1971 by a pack of Dartmouth students who were daringly physical, eager to experiment, and wholly untrained in classical techniques.  Their venture into dance unleashed a vocabulary that delved into the design of bodies as they intersect, drape, stack, collide and join. More than 40 years later, the same spirit of curiosity and wonder that gave birth to Pilobolus remains at the core of the company’s work.