Odyssey Dance Theatre’s “Thriller” mixes moves from Michael Jackson’s zombie dance sequence, ballet steps from “The Nutcracker,” and aerial art from Cirque du Soleil. By intertwining the many genres of performing art, the company has managed to turn a seasonal show into a local tradition.
Running through Nov. 2 at Kingsbury Hall, “Thriller” starts and ends with the song Jackson made a Halloween icon, and in between is a collection of pieces containing all things mythical and magical.
“It is a series of vignettes of all your favorite Halloween characters,” says Derryl Yeager, founder and artistic director of the Odyssey Dance Theatre. “We go into things like the ‘Curse of the Mummy.’ We have the ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame.’ We have Frankenstein dancing with the Bride of Frankenstein. We also have ‘Jason Jam,’ which is three Jasons who dance with ice picks and machetes.”
From Frankenstein swaying clumsily to the classic pointe moves of his ballerina bride to Bubbles the Clown cracking Miley Cyrus jokes, the spectacle’s best attribute is humor.
Part of this humor comes from the dancers’ interaction with the audience. The show is chalked full of chances for attendees to participate. This is evident when “Jason Jam” pulls a visitor on stage or when zombies creep through the crowd’s seats, picking on people and surprising them.
“It’s something we developed along the way. I’m a real student of theater. I’ve always found that if you create an ambiance when you first walk into the theater, it gets people in the mood,” Yeager says about the show’s dancer to audience relationship.
When dancers aren’t roaming the theater, they are on stage bringing charisma and character to sets such as “Lost Boys” and “River of Blood Dance.” In fact, “River of Blood Dance” balances the art of river dancing and the effect of comedy by killing off a string of Irish girls who are determined to keep the party alive. Throughout the scene, the performers progressively drop to the floor.
The show’s comedy tactics wouldn’t be complete without the talent of Odyssey Dance Theatre’s cast. The majority of the company’s dancers are from Utah, something which Yeager is proud of.
“No matter how many times we go to L.A. and New York to audition, it never ceases to amaze me that the quality and talent coming out of Utah is very high, and we are very lucky to have some great dancers being developed here,” Yeager says.
From local talent to guest artists, Yeager and the company have fostered many significant relationships. For instance, John Boy, who plays Bubbles the Clown, met Yeager when he was in the musical “Cats.” Since their introduction, Boy has played an integral role in the company’s Halloween production.
Guest artists aside, the show’s “it” factor lies with its cast and the dancers’ ability to master any style of dance. From tap to modern dance, they do it all.
“It’s as if you’re a musician and you have to learn to play four or five different instruments. Each one of those instruments is going to have a different way to manage it, play scales, and read charts. They are all very different. A dancer has to do that too,” Yeager says.