There are two essential ways of listening to music – with a fundamental difference between the two.  The first way is to flip through your own CDs, tapes, or 8-tracks, finding what you want to listen to – or maybe what you haven’t heard in a while – and popping it in.  My iPod would fit in this category before Alabama’s summer swelter killed it.  Even with 1000 songs, I could set it on shuffle and listen to some portion of my personal music library.  Some internet application like Grooveshark would also fit this category.

The second way to listen to music is on the radio, satellite or traditional.  An internet app like Pandora would also fit here.  By setting the station, you’re telling it kind of what genre you want to hear, but you don’t quite know what’ll eventually play through your speakers.  Unless it’s top-of-the-charts mall music, you’re bound to be surprised a little and maybe find something new.

I tend to alternate between these two types of experience.  Some days, I want to hear my own particular stuff.  New and old favorites.  Something familiar, even if I haven’t listened to it in a long time.  But some days, I want to find something new.  No matter how hard you squeeze it, you can never get anything new off an iPod.  It’s a tiny, self-contained world with no escape.  Regardless of how much music I can cram on it, I’ve heard it all before.

“Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” -Ferris Bueller

Life can also be a lot like my iPod.  (Bear with me – I’m going somewhere.)  Most of us go to the same place every day for work, talk with the same people, see the same friends, and do the same stuff.  Even if otherwise comfortable, there are days I just amn’t interested in hearing familiar songs.

Which brings me to groups like Arova Professional Contemporary Ballet.  I didn’t know this group existed before I got an email advertising their Encore Gala performance at the Virginia Samford Theatre.  As Arova describes itself:

Fresh, fun and evocative are not adjectives that one would usually use to describe ballet.  However the AROVA Contemporary Ballet, a relatively new professional company in Birmingham, is on a mission to change your mind. AROVA’s mission is to present powerful new works that push the limits of the traditional ballet vocabulary and make a case for the form being relevant; even dare we say – cool.  [E]xpect the out of ordinary including innovative choreographic elements, an eclectic array of music and even rock star-esque lighting.

I attest that the Arova pieces were definitely fresh, fun and – dare I say – cool.  Along with interesting and sometimes beautiful.  Much in the same free-verse vein as the folks at Asterisk, Arova is gleefully pushing the limits of collaboration.  One dancer performed solo in front of local painter Thomas Andrew, while he did what painters do, from start-to-finish in front of the audience, starting with a blank canvas.  After the performance, there was a silent auction for his painting.

The last piece of the evening featured musical guest Act of Congress.  I will repeat this over-and-over until someone listens: Every type of performance – especially dance – is usually improved with the addition of live music.  I don’t know the arrangement between Act of Congress and Arova, but I think it benefits everyone.  The band gets exposure and extra “cool” points for helping other arts, the dancers have the benefit of live music to dance to, and the audience’s experience is enhanced significantly.  Plus, it’s got to be fun for the artists themselves to look around for a different way to get to perform and keep everything fresh.

I have the impression that Arova is on a shoestring budget, so I’ll say that Alison Page and the rest of Arova are worth your support.  Ask about donations, opportunities to collaborate, or volunteering.  Go seek out new stuff.  Eat something different.  Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers.  Paint your nails.  Click the “I’m feeling lucky” button.  But try not to kill your father’s car.

Thanks to David Page and Arova for letting me attend.  Thanks to photographer Jim Willett and any other Arova volunteers for giving of their time to support local arts and making it all possible.