The theme of this dance routine is “letting go.”

It is an interpretation of the song Slip, by Elliot Moss.

It was performed on the Vermont Metro Station in Los Angeles, California, by hip hop dancer Phillip Chbeeb and ballerina Renée Kester.

Videographer Jerel Mascarinas explains the essence of the choreography:

“Everyone will tell you it is hard to let go of pain…and it is. Since we were children we have been told to embrace the best of our experiences and disregard the worst… But what happens when the most beautiful memories from our past end up doing the most damage to our future? How do we let go? How do we move forward? The past is comfortable. The past is familiar. The past is the prison I’m fighting to escape.”

The two dancers, who are visibly, acutely attuned to the music, begin by gently connecting and resonating with one another strongly. They declare their sensations through simultaneous, spellbinding movement.

The breathtaking dynamic shows the couple ebb and flow as their bodies and facial expressions describe their journey through the darkness and light that is prevalent in all relationships.

They mirror and reflect one another’s emotional expressions and the captivating display tells a story of how they individually and uniquely experienced their love.

An intriguing and soulful performance plays out and we receive the opportunity to witness the depth of their feelings as they are expressed intensely on various levels.

The two glide effortlessly and with grace as they attempt to work through their differences and the turbulent emotions that the interaction evokes. Belief, frustration, indecision, regret, rejection, frustration, and abandonment are all forcefully felt as the dancers sway between powerfully attracting and then dramatically repelling one another.

However, it soon becomes clear that there is a raging battle going on between two open hearts and two confused minds: One partner is feeling hopeful and trying to hold on while the other appears suffocated and frantically searching for an escape route.

The struggle gives us an insight into how the dancers contain the pain of love, loss and heartbreak. As the tale unfolds, the lovers’ turmoil becomes clear and the realization suddenly hits them that they cannot continue, as they have grown too far apart.

The innovative dance ends with one half of the duo solemnly walking away toward a waiting train. The impression leaves the viewer with the lingering thought that the male dancer has resigned to the fact that there is too much distance and that they are letting go of one another for the final time.

This hypnotic performance shows how easy it can be to lose ourselves, forget the other, temporarily misplace the mind, deny the heart, imagine the wrong reality or possibly awaken in a nightmare when the time for separation arrives.

It also powerfully highlights that sometimes, sadly, love is not enough to keep two people entwined, especially when they are opposing one another rather than complimenting and remaining in sync. When there is constant friction and conflict it can be impossible to achieve and maintain the harmony and keep the bonds strong to hold the love in place.

If there is no compatibility and one or both are not willing to work for the relationship, then, eventually, one (or both) of the lovers will make an attempt to permanently slip away.

“Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

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Author: Alex Myles

Image: Derek Bridges/Flickr

Editors: Travis May; Renée Picard