It’s Not That Serious - A Seriously Good Dance Film by Ricky Ubeda (Music: Sympathy by Vampire Weekend)

Some random scrolling on my Instagram feed and a snippet from this pops up!  It’s Not That Serious, a dance film by Ricky Ubeda (the mesmerising music is Sympathy by Vampire Weekend) really caught my attention.  Although just a clip, I was immediately drawn to a number of things which made me dash off (metaphorically) to find the whole work. First and foremost I was drawn to the choreography (tight, unusual and giving many of the dancers a chance to come to the forefront rather than focusing just on the lead, Jonathan Paula).  

Then there was the huge energy that the dancers displayed.  I am no expert but some of the moves look challenging to say the least – I am sure that they slept very well after the shoot! They look like they are giving the performance of their lives and certainly look as if they are enjoying every moment of it.  Also, the way that this piece was filmed is incredibly beautiful – one might say the aesthetic of it: hats off to Ubeda’s direction here as well as the production by Ahmad Simmons and to the director of photography Jonathas Nazareth.  It all comes together beautifully.

It is one of the most - if not the most - create pieces of contemporary dance I have seen this year (although the Stromae inspired piece by ZAS Dance Platform does stay very close to my heart). 

I was intrigued to find out more about Ricky Ubeda, who I had not heard of before. Ubeda first came to prominence when he won Season 11 of the American TV dance competition So You Think You Can Dance in 2014, earning the title America’s Favorite Dancer along with a prize package that included cash, magazine coverage and a role on Broadway.  Since his win, he has built a successful career in musical theatre and performance, appearing in Broadway productions such as On the Town, Cats, Carousel and the revival of West Side Story.  He took the lead in the dance revue musical Illinoise in 2023. If you think you have seen him at the movies, he also appeared as Flaco in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story film adaptation. Ubeda continues to work as a dancer and performer in new stage projects including, of course, the one featured here.

The comments on the YouTube about It’s Not That Serious are overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic. Viewers repeatedly describe the work as “amazing,” “incredible,” and “a masterpiece,” and praise not only the choreography but also the film-making, music and performance quality. Many comments highlight the piece as powerful contemporary art, with some suggesting it is the best work they have seen online in a long time (“art is not dead but alive and well”).  OK, so when people like videos on YouTube, hyperbole is often their first resort when it comes to their comments, but I think this outstanding work of contemporary dance truly deserves these accolades. Others predict that the video will gain momentum and “blow up,” indicating strong audience engagement and shareability. I do hope so because at the time of writing it only has 25K hits and deserves a few more zeroes at the end!

A huge nod in the direction of the dancers, too. The cast of It’s Not That Serious features a diverse and highly skilled group of performers, including Jonathan Paula (@jonathanpaulaofficial), Bella Tagle (@bellamtagle), Gaby Diaz (@itsgabydiaz), Dan Santiago (@dan.santiago), Amari Frazier (@amari.frazier), Christine Flores (@christinefl0res), Brianna Keingatti (@briannakeingatti), Isabella Lynch (@izzybella.rose), Nathaniel Chua (@nathaniel_chua_), Rebekah Brodsky (@rebekahbrodsky), Tristan Ianiero (@tristan_ianiero), and Marc Cardarelli. Together, they contribute a wide range of individuality, movement styles, performance qualities and technical strengths, creating a cohesive and dynamic ensemble that enhances the overall impact of the piece.

So now, sit back and enjoy the complete work below. You may even need a moment to recover after the sheer intensity and physical demand of watching this dance.  There’s no shame in that – the final frames of the video seem to indicate that the lead dancer, Jonathan, needed a rest, too!