Reggie Wilson is a determined choreographer who has a keen interest in identity. In “theRevisitation,” Wilson shares his culture and art with us, telling us of his discoveries and showing us the varied works he has created thus far. Usually in a performance the audience sits back and waits for the curtains to rise, but tonight with Reggie Wilson/Fist & Heel Performance Group’s presentation, that is a negative.  Wilson, along with Rhetta Aleong, and Lawerence Harding, sit in chairs and share traditional songs from one another’s culture. Using their mouths, hands and feet, rhythm and song are born. Their melodies sound like Native American tribal chants, mixed with a little Trinidadian spice and African groove. One can immediately tell that Wilson is a ‘people person’ by the way he involves us in making music. Using call and response, (he calls and we respond) we clap and stomp our feet as the trio sings.

The second piece, entitled “theduet,” is the first more traditional contemporary dance of the evening. The duet begins with a male and female. One is tall: one is tiny. The tall male and tiny female move in unison, constantly changing facings, as they travel from the left side of the stage to the right.  As their performance goes on, I notice a fight break out between the dancers. A fight between big and small? A brother and sister’s quarrel?  A domestic brawl? Or could it even be much deeper, a confrontation between small citizens and a big government?

The tiny female falls into her partner’s chest. As he picks her up and carefully places her down to the floor we see a sensual side to their coupling, but still with a mixture of forceful poking and shoving. The perspective changes every sixteen counts.

In the “INTRODUCTION”, Wilson comes onto the stage to share more history with us. At first he speaks in a casual manner, the way a ‘regular, non-performing guy’ would talk to the ‘regular people’ in the audience.  In “Introduction,” Wilson speaks about his journey to Trinidad; his quest to understand the spiritual motions of the Trinidadian Baptists; and his desire to learn how their practices related to his Baptist upbringing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.While speaking, Wilson transforms before our eyes from a man talking about his odyssey to a full-fledged participant in a spiritual journeying ritual. His sounds and movement are captivating.  Now I want to travel to my islands (my family is from Trinidad) to learn how the people live. Even though Wilson isn’t from some of the places he has traveled to, he still feels culturally bound to the countries of the African Diaspora.

The next piece, “Big BRICK: a man’s piece,” is powerful. All the dancers are men and the work deals with the struggle of men. I noticed all in the cast have great stamina. They run and jump with much repetition and never seem to lose their energy. Wilson, Aleong and Harding are the music of this piece. Their mouths tell of the intense emotion and strength each dancer possesses.

As the lights go out and the men exit, I lean forward in my seat, turn to my friend and  say, “That’s it?”  I want more. I felt so drawn into the choreography, and am still trying to decipher it.