This show is part of the 15th Annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe, Aug. 15-25, 2019 on Mass Ave downtown. Info, etc., at www.IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Some of our regular readers may remember that John saw last year’s show by Crossroads Dance and really loved it. While he admits he’s not a dance aficionado, he does like watching it but often has trouble understanding the meaning behind the moves. The company apparently took that to heart and has included some notes in the program to help with understanding the message they are provoking. That said, let’s get to the review.

The show is arranged as a trip through time, reminding us of the history behind our nation. It begins a beautiful balletic piece in which three nature spirits are gaily playing/creating the landscape of the continent. We then move to a suite in tribute to the settlers that tamed the land and made the verdant farmland that stretches throughout our country today.

It then turns to the twentieth century for highlights of various historic decades using songs from those periods.

My personal favorites were: “This One’s For Al” shows the desolation of the Great Depression but still keeps a touch of hope on the horizon. “Jive Bomber” intermixed inspirational wartime tunes of the ’40s with actual radio reports from the battles, showing the pain the nation felt inside, even while keeping up a positive front. However, being a child of the ’80s, I loved their tribute to the decade of neon spandex and big hair in, “MTV Live.”

Choreographers are Ashley Youmell, Brittany Gaither, and Nicole Dean for the pieces listed above, as well as Candace Reiner, Emily Miser, Sammi Bowyer, Josie Meiss, and Rachael Wieczorek.

So, whether you are just a casual fan of dance, or a lifelong devotee, this show will appeal to you. These ladies, while young, bring about an insightful evening of dance that will likely spark some great discussions afterwards.

Remaining performances are 6 p.m. Wednesday and 3 p.m. Saturday at the District Theatre (former TOTS location), 627 Massachusetts Ave.