WOW! The opening night of ?Concepts in Motion? was a performance of pure class. The stars themselves, with their swift mobility ? made such complex and intricate routines appear so trivial ? one could miss a stunt with the blink of an eye.

The multi-coloured lighting that created the scene and atmosphere ? shadowing, tinting or illuminating whomever was on stage ? combined with talented and well-trained dancers and excellent choreography to set a high standard for the show.

Night turned to day in ?Aida? as the fiery image of a sunrise grew and spread across the backdrop ? silently glowing behind the silhouette of a dancer on the floor ? creating a beautiful sense of tranquillity.

Gradually there evolved a shade of blue with a symbol of a risen sun ? effects that made the stage come alive. Creativity blossomed as a red sheet, originally wrapped around the body of a dancer, stretched diagonally across the stage for the performers to manoeuvre on either side.

The lone male dancer, Tyler Barker, showed incredible strength and agility throughout the evening as he lifted and supported dancers like feathers.

In ?Torn?, which was rather emotional, he and his partners Courtney Lopes and Karissa Roberts controlled every step they executed so gracefully ? their bodies seemed to melt into every move.

Synchronisation was consistent amongst all the performers unless the choreography required them to do otherwise and their poise alone told of their confidence, which gave each dance that extra boost. They displayed a series of neatly controlled pirouettes, cha?n? turns, leaps, handstands and many unique but complex routines.

Solos, duets including partnering and group dancing were continuous cycles that added to the intrigue and variety of the show.

On occasions one could hear the movements of the dancers ? producing their own melodies while the music paused. In ?holding (un) folding? they rolled, crunched, crawled, slid and shot across the floor ? leaping like frogs and propelling themselves around the stage to land skillfully on their sides with a thudding sound.

At one point, Tyler swung Courtney in continuous circles while holding her arms ? neither of them appearing to grow weak during the fairly slow and steady sequence.

The styles of choreography throughout the show varied from peppy vibrancy to mellow elegance, as did the music that ranged from hip-hop, techno, upbeat Broadway and soft rock to classical.

In ?Inner Touch? it was great to see live musicians ? Rebecca Faulkenberry sang and Martin Issac played an African xylophone on stage, along with the recorded composition of violinist Taylor Rankin.

At the end of the night the audience?s loud response made it clear they thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

The group of 24 dancers, their ages ranging from pre-teens to 20s, displayed such enthusiasm and professionalism. In order to carry out the steps they did with only a month of training, they had to have strong backgrounds, technique and total dedication ? qualities that build a promising future for the art form in Bermuda.

Well done on one phenomenal show!