So, what exactlyโs under the sheet?
Somethingโs center stage, yet still completely hidden from sight. A big blue โWorld of Danceโ logo covers the back wall.
The squeal of a large door can be heard in the background. The suspense builds.
Someone (or a robot, perhaps) in a black suit and red bowtie walks onto the stage.
Itโs completely silent besides the sound of thudding footsteps.
He walks like a robot or automaton, opting for precise, calculated movements.
The ornately-dressed robot-person stops near the concealment.
The performer pauses for a second then proceeds to rip the sheet up into the air. He holds nothing back.
Whatโs underneath?!
The suspense reaches a climax. The sheet flies off!
What appears to be a human puppet finally comes into sight. The completely still figurineโs barely standing, hunched over a small circular platform.
A robotic puppeteer and human-puppet hybrid stand center stage.
The character literally looks like a real puppet. I mean maybe it is a real puppet?
Who knows, the puppet or person looks fantastic either way. A black one-piece covers most of her presumably wooden body.
The makeupโs absolutely brilliant.
The puppeteer puts his hand on his chin, inquisitively. He begins to pace back and forth.
The sound of a music box and ticking clock play over the loudspeakers as the puppet winds around on the podium.
The puppeteer emphatically flairs his hands, forcing a quick, magical reaction from the puppet.
The puppet flairs her right hand to the side, completely in tune with the puppeteerโs gestures.
The puppetโs motions are precise, almost robotic. Exact.
The magic box sounds merge into a cascading beat with clear hip-hop and modern electronic influences, providing the perfect basis for a puppet dance. The avant-garde beats are incredible in their own right.
The puppeteer acts like a puppet himself, walking stoically across the stage alongside his companion.
They step in unison, perfectly in sync.
The music continues to churn with a robotic rhythm. The chopped beats persistently pound for the puppets.
The performers are absolutely in their element, breaking into a slew of unique choreography.
Shout out to their costumes. The characters look stunning.
About a minute and a half into the performance, the tempo picks up. The fleet-footed dancers kick things into high gear.
The puppeteer hits the ground, swiftly swiveling down low on his fleet feet.
The puppetโs legs appear completely wooden.
The dynamic duo continues their incredible performance, one robotic step at a time.
The puppeteer takes a few steps back, stepping atop the podium. He raises his right arm up at a 90-degree angle.
The music comes to a halt. The puppeteer steps off the platform taking his partnerโs hand into his own.
The offscreen audience roars in the background. They shower the performers in droves of applause.
And turns out, theyโre neither robots nor actual puppets. Theyโre just amazing human performers.
Their applauseโs beyond well-deserved.
Effective puppeteering requires incredible hand-eye coordination and dedication. Even making your own puppetโs entirely possible with the right creative mindset.
But this performance goes beyond puppeteering. The show turns into something entirely different, like when Pinnochio became a real boy.
Both the supposed puppeteer and puppet put on the show of a lifetime. The music and choreography are probably unlike anything youโve experienced before.
Be sure to check out the entirety of their fantastic performance in the video below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
