The saying goes that dance is a universal language. For most of us we take that saying to mean the ability of dance to express some of our deepest and most heartfelt emotions, or to translate our shared experiences into physical expression, offering a unifying encounter. For Charlene Harris, Artist Director of &5678 Dance Studio, the idea of dance being a universal language was taken in quite a literal direction with the company’s 2025 production of Outta This World at Naparima Bowl.
Outta This World was a journey through the cosmos, as put forward by the narrator, interpreting our understanding of the universe through a vocabulary of elaborate choreography and staging dreamt up by a constellation of choreographers within the studio’s collective. With each piece that was mounted we witnessed these young dancers navigate through a body of work so sophisticated it seemed light years ahead of their age.
From ballet, contemporary and modern, to folk and hip hop dance styles, the company of &5678 Dance Studio demonstrated a staggering breadth of work that reflected not only their capability, but also the depth of their tutelage. And while the incredible hard work of their years at the studio was on full display at the performance I attended on December 13th , to designate this event a recital, would be a misnomer. Outta This World was no mere regurgitation of lessons learnt over semesters. This was a full-fledged dance production; a labour of love, a cosmic event that placed these dancers in a professional spotlight in preparation for trajectories toward promising careers in dance.
The opening number – The Enigma, choreographed by Harris herself and performed by advanced ballet student Jaelen James let me know exactly what I was in for over the course of the evening, and I was able to relax with confidence that I would be thoroughly entertained. To witness ballet en pointe over driving bass and reverberating synths, music that I only discovered afterwards to be entirely beatboxing, transported the audience to an otherworldly space (pun intended). The strong technique, expressive motions, and inventive costuming served as a rocket engine propelling us through the production’s galactic theme.
On the topic of costuming, each time the dancers took the stage for a new piece, I was taken aback by their skillfully crafted, custom-made attire. The first set of costumes was intriguing, the second inspired, and throughout the evening, no wardrobe combination repeated itself. Every new ensemble that was revealed, demonstrated incredible forethought. I couldn’t help but be thankful that the costume design team had a vision for each piece, and executed it with such precision that allowed for the dancers to perform to their full ability while looking stellar. Aside from some slight wardrobe mishaps, the costuming all served to enhance the dancer and their performance, rather than upstage it.
Senior Hip Hop dancers perform “Dark Matter” choreographed by – Nigel Sanchez | Photo credit: Elliot Francois Fotography 
“The Rite of Passage” choreographed by – Andre Largen | Photo credit: Elliot Francois Fotography 
Beginner Hip Hop dancers perform Mercury” choreographed by -Kwasi Romero | Photo credit: Rishi Ragoonath
Other elements of the production also reflected the company’s attention to detail. The lighting design by Jevon Francis was smart and informed, driving the emotional content in some pieces and augmenting it in others. This was especially evident in the piece Nebula, where the dancers slowly entered the stage walking backwards, connected by the clasp of their hands, and bouncing back between a single diagonal line across the stage and the pool of light that filled it.
The sound engineering by Dwight Forbes ensured that the music never overwhelmed the house, allowing the ethereal soundscapes of the pieces to shine through. The team of choreographers were able to craft pieces that were innovative, exciting, and heartfelt, while being cohesive with the theme of the production and pushing the dancers with movement that even seasoned professionals would still find challenging.
The production however wasn’t without its technical anomalies. There were a few transitions between pieces where the pause in the program was so noticeable that it interrupted the momentum of the show. I assume this was due to the major costume changes required for dancers, who had to exit, change, and return to the stage as if they hadn’t just completed a technically intensive piece.
Meanwhile, the projector display of swirling galaxies and cosmic dust was so constant during these moments that it shifted from being an augmented element in the dances to an ever-present lightsource that revealed silhouettes of dancers crossing the stage, thereby breaking the audience’s immersion. But these were the only two technical infractions in what was altogether an incredibly crafted program. Down to the curtain call, a moment simply meant to reintroduce the performers, was choreographed with such intention that it harked back to the spirited curtain call of Alvin Ailey’s Revelations.
Overall, this experience demonstrated how much Harris, and &5678 Dance studio, understand what it takes to execute a production that is truly “outta this world”. From the meticulous attention to detail, to the robust rolodex of dance vocabulary imparted on her students, all the moving pieces were expertly orchestrated into a solar system of performances where a high quality of dance remains at the center of this universe.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Isaiah is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and The New School where he holds an Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Theatre and a minor in Screenwriting. He’s performed extensively both locally and internationally. Credits include; Doubles with Slight Pepper (dir. Ian Harinarine); Back to Freeport (dir. Jian Hennings); The Little Mermaid, West Side Story (Fireside Dinner Theatre); Julius Caesar (dir. Michaelian Taylor); Chicago (Potsdam Music Theatre).
The Trinidad and Tobago Performing Arts Network 