Courtesy of URBAN-15

In the darkness, it began. The lights were dimmed and across the plentiful crowd, vibrant neon necklaces, shining pet ears and glow sticks illuminated the park’s dome as everyone eagerly waited. Around, an ensemble of percussionists projected critter-like sounds as music into the air. This was “Bioluminescence: Light In Play.” On March 23, at Confluence Park, a performance of glow-in-the-dark insects and animals was put on by URBAN-15 as the closing show of the San Antonio Nature and Art Series.  It was a night of immersive music, innovative dance and inspired wardrobe, which furthered the awareness of bioluminescent insects and animals the foundations had hoped to bring. 

For some, the impressive instrumental ambiance surely caused the hairs at the back of one’s neck to stand as mimicking echos of insects chattering, wings bumbling and legs rubbing vibrated in their ears. For others, it was easy for them to imagine themselves on a calming retreat in nature. Either way, the precision and resemblance of the musical ensemble to the glowing creatures of the night led the audience to take part in a transportive experience. The music performed was titled “Bioluminescence.” It was composed by Music and Media Director, George Cisneros, who composed the following songs: “Rumba Luz,” “Within the Center of Memory, ” “Enle, A Tribute” and “The Fireflies”.

The wardrobe featured in the performance was colorful and mesmerizing to watch. Diverse variations of patterns were designed on the wings of monarch costumes. All of them were radiant blue butterflies. Also among them was a centerpiece costume similar to a jellyfish dancing among them, changing into an array of different colors from blue, to green, to red and many others. The dancers, known as URBAN-15, used their wings, flapping them and twirling around as they danced. The costumes were created and crafted by Creative Director, Catherin Cisneros.

The one con of this performance came into play in the aspects of dance. While the music was enchanting, the dancers gave an extremely underwhelming performance. For the majority of it, they marched in a circle, waving their wings to the beat, but that is not necessarily where things went south. The entire choreography looked as if the group practiced only once before the event and then just went on for the show. It seemed a bit disorganized and repetitive. However, it was the perfect event for a night out with family or friends. For those who were not looking for anything too serious to focus on, it was easy to simply grab a drink and a snack and watch for a good time. For those who have an interest in the specifics of bioluminescent creatures or little critters and animals, the San Antonio River Foundation is a great organization to support, with many events to encourage learning about nature. But with all the creative efforts poured into making this performance happen, through the art of music, design and dance it is true that this is more than a niche. It is a presentation meant to provide fun and knowledge for anyone who participates. By the end of the night, “Bioluminescence: Lights In Play” was a fun experience.