AUDIENCE REVIEW: Ritual at Arts On Site
Company:
Jonathan Royse Windham and Squid Kid Inc.
Performance Date:
Sunday, May 17th 2026
Freeform Review:
Bookended by the strong and simple image of carrying rocks, both putting them down and picking them up, Ritual takes you on an intimate and reflective dance journey. Directed and choreographed by Squid Kid Inc. Artistic Director Jonathan Royse Windham, the cast brings a blend of individuality and cohesiveness to the work.
The evening begins quietly, dancers entering the space, focused on themselves, on the scattered stones, their own internal worlds. As the evening progresses, we get a stronger sense of relationship between the humans in front of us. Still on display, however, are undeniable moments of purposeful disconnect, even when the dancers perform the very same steps. They face away, they sideswipe each other traveling opposite diagonals. Emotionally, they seem to put up walls even when both the expressiveness and expansiveness of their limbs beg for more.
Among several standout moments, a group of six danced together beautifully and meditatively, the overall choreographic structure of their sextet very well crafted. Solos executed by Dan Doran and Windham also received their own separate applause, a reminder that the audience was there to see and appreciate and even participate.
Lighting design also added to the overall evening. The bright, colored and choppy styling of a rave scene offered a dose of comic book fun. A single, stark spotlight in a separate moment provided the backdrop for some standup-style humor.
Kudos to Arts On Site for providing a venue for these innovative evenings.
