At times, the structure of a film or a slice of life is evident from the outset. There is no way to change the course of events; all the actions and their reactions are so tightly packed. The best one might do, even if taking control in name only, is to perform one’s movements with a certain flair. Reno Arreaza’s chilling first film is not supposed to shock rather, it simply attempts to reach a high level of form and give us some sense of the emotional impact involved in the act of dancing the aforementioned dance.
Irene Esser plays Ivanna, who recently immigrated to Caracas and is now enrolled at a school where she practices flamenco dancing. The rest of the group is friendly to her in social settings, shares some gossip and a few spliffs, but when she’s not around, a few of them casually insult her behind her back and claim that she is completely devoid of talent. There may be some truth in that. Perhaps she is not really into dancing much because there is another reason for her being in the city she is there to eliminate one of its most infamous criminals.
The financial scandals that led to the bankruptcy of many Venezuelans is almost unheard of outside the country where the media focus on the political corruption at tower level. But the decision of the authorities not to persecute most of the people implicated in this is a matter of unresolved generational grievances and revenge. However, Ivanna, has no personal motives behind this. It is what makes her escape the kind of scrutiny that a women from the region would face. More so, it is in these very situations that she gets the opportunity to pursue Vincente, the son of her target.
Vincente, a man of 30 who has been overwhelmingly pampered, is enormously smitten with the gorgeous stranger ready to dance with him. He is irresistibly sweet and warm while being open to the world, which provides a contrasting perspective to his poisonous behaviors. Ivanna, despite herself, is drawn to him which is astonishing. Ivanna knows that her mission entails killing him, but the thought of her having to resort to that has her stuck to his side, dancing while in a haze. Looking to distract herself, she puts hope in the fact that her stay in Caracas is temporary and intimate, so Vincente paints their romance as a holiday trip that he genuinely would want to revisit, and to find meaning, she deceives herself.
Is it possible to perform a dance while still being able to express who you are? While he is dancing, Ivanna wonders whether she has self-identity issues. In other words, does she have characteristics of a psychopath? As a female, is her destiny to be weary towards a male? Is her transformation just what happens as a result of an assault that took place when she was a child this portion of her life is dealt with using animation for the first half of the film. She had some beliefs that may now be irreversible. This is also the soft theme of what it means to possess or perform any vocation of greats the uncomfortable task of detaching one’s emotional and moral being.Â
The Dance’s use of black and white transforms the grandiose structure and wide open skies of Caracas giving the city an unusually dark, more stylish look. Instead of adding color, Arreaza accentuates the finer details, drawing our attention to the harshness and rawness of life, even when it is captured smartly. Most romances are focused on sensual appeal, but this one is different, it seeking tangential femininity. In offering a world that will remain forever unrealized, these characters resign to some greater power through romance.
Charming and captivating, this is a type of dance which is able to impress although it contains some sadness. It is indeed similar to life as it will also come to an end, however, we know it will never lose its value.
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