Eunoia Review By Naia Noyes-West

Enjoyable to watch, Denise Fujiwara’s Eunoia engages the audience right from the start. The dancers begin by leading the audience in a game of hangman, clueing in those who are not familiar with Christian Bok’s book of poems, by the same name. Following the pattern of the book, each portion of the show is limited and therefore characterized by a single vowel, creating a humorous performance. The poems are both recited by the dancers, and appear in graphics behind them on a screen.

With a blend of gestural, sporadic, and contemporary movement, the dance keeps the viewer guessing as to what direction the show will take next. And, in some cases, we are able to predict, with satisfying knowledge, what words and actions will appear. As an exercise in creativity and vocabulary, the show was hilariously remarkable. Eunoiademonstrates, as the book does, how much fun you can have with words, and the fantastical stories that arise from creative limitations.