Contemporary ballet company Zikr Dance Ensemble tours Colorado and Northern New Mexico as part of their Rural Colorado Community tour. The tour brings professional dance to rural communities that have few opportunities to see this level of professional dance.
Their 2026 show “Runes” explored the power of symbols at the Asteria Theatre on April 17. Audience member Siri Marquez described it as “a breath of fresh air”.
“I thought it was very interesting and it kind of like expanded how, like, my perspective on dance and how you can move your body was very, like, inspiring, and I thought it was very fun to watch,” Marquez said.
Geology major Matthew Hanks enjoyed the contemporary take on ballet. He said he usually thinks of the “Nutcracker” when he thinks of ballet.
“And so this was just a really, really cool change of pace,” Hanks said. “We did concur that the images in the background were AI, so we kind of were trying to ignore that.”
Artist Director David Taylor started Zikr in 2009 to explore more contemporary ballet. He wanted to explore what he described as the “transcendent” aspect of dance. The 2026 show investigates the spiritual power of symbols.
“Those symbols were often used not only as a language, but as a form of prophecy and divination,” Zikr Artist Director David Taylor said.
The incorporation of divination is most prominent in the titular work “Runes”. At the beginning of the dance, a dancer casts a handful of sticks at the front of the stage, reminiscent of casting bones as a fortune-telling ritual.
The show also featured two pieces by guest artists. “Mobile”, choreographed by Tomm Ruud, explores the concept of objects floating in space.
“It is a miniature masterpiece,” Taylor said. “There’s nothing like it I’ve ever seen. It’s incredibly acrobatic. It’s absolutely mesmerizing, and we’re so happy to bring that back.”
A duet by Belgian-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui entitled “En Memorium” was also featured in the show. The piece centers on the male dancer moving his duet partner like a marionette. The dancers were so in sync, one could almost believe there were strings attaching them.
Associate Professor of Dance and Dance Program Director Kathe Diehl was excited to see Cherkaoui’s work.
“I’ve only seen his work on video, so to see it live, which is a really special treat to see that in Grand Junction, Colorado,” Diehl said.
Diehl was fascinated by Taylor’s incorporation of mysticism in dance.
“ A lot of the pieces had this sort of through line of mysticism that I’m very intrigued by,” Diehl said.
