In Transit is a lyrical and affecting contemporary dance performance playing as part of the 2021 Digital Toronto Fringe Festival. Produced by Von Hunt Productions, a dance performance company created by choreographer Alayna Kellett, In Transit uses movement and a vivid soundscape to explore the transitional spaces we occupy in the aftermath of trauma.

In Transit features a cast of seven striking dancers and an evocative, nonlinear storyline. The show moves from memory to memory as the dancers embody the feelings associated with the flashbacks they are recalling. The dancers do this while on transit, adding another layer of movement to the performance. The contemporary dance is emotive and beautifully choreographed and I found myself transported backwards and forwards through time while watching.

While it’s not explicitly clear what occurred, for much of the performance, the dancers are affected by the echoes of trauma. There seems to be reference to sexual assault or abuse, and suicide.  Choreographer Alayna Kellett and Director Roberto Sapienza gave the dancers ample time and space to explore the painful aftermaths of these haunting memories without rushing through them. The movement feels deliberate and eventually, with time, lighter.

Although the performance moves through heavy subject matter, there are expressions of joy and resilience too. Ultimately, In Transit feels like moving through a dark tunnel and eventually finding your way back into the sunlight, again. It feels particularly resonant right now, in the midst of this pandemic.

Details:

• In Transit is playing on-demand at the Virtual 2021 Toronto Fringe Festival.
• Purchase a $5 Membership to access the On-Demand programming on the Fringe website, then Pay What You Can to each show as you go,  with the suggested price of $13 per show.
• Memberships can be purchased here.  View the virtual on-demand show listings here.
• Accessibility notes:
  • On-Demand shows: videos are closed captioned, transcripts are available for all audio content, documents are screen-reader friendly, and all digital images are provided with alternative text descriptions. These access supplements have been generated by the company and reviewed by the Festival. They may vary slightly from company to company.
  • Fringe Primetime presentations will feature Auto-Transcribed Captioning.
• Content Warnings: References to abuse and suicide and sexual content. Recommended for ages 14+.