Intricately constructed by Divina (Sammy Briseno Jimenez) and Icon (Sabree Gilkes), ”Infinity Loop” consisted of skits, choreography, songs, video shorts and more, celebrating themes of identity, positivity and self-discovery, especially for those queer and trans. The event, which took place from April 24 through 25, was less of the normal song-and-dance revue and more of an introspective experience into what it means to be unique and could be summed up in a single word: “stellar.”
The event started at 7 p.m. with a pre-show activity at 6:30 p.m. During the pre-show activity, audience members shook hands with one another as a sign of acquaintance and respect, setting the scene for what would eventually be a night of unity and celebration. Given the amount of interaction and camaraderie between the audience and one of the performers, Elevisi “Lucky” Matafari, it was clear that the program was going to be unlike any other traditional dance showcase.
The hallways of Arts Building 166 were decorated and illuminated to evoke that of a portal to another dimension. Carefully placed lights within the dimly lit corridors conveyed a sense of iridescence, making it hard not to be mesmerized even before the actual start of the event. Heading deeper into the building, audiences were greeted with a shrine consisting of stuffed animals, followed by signs on the wall with empowering mantras.
Entering the main part of the building where the performance was taking place, viewers were given ample time to walk around to different areas of the room. The area consisted of a photo booth, an “Infinity Loop closet” where one could try out different clothes and even a booth where merchandise could be bought.
The performance began with Divina and Icon on the floor with heads draped in fabric, slowly rising while taking off the masks before pantomime sprinkling themselves and the audience with magic dust. Dancing to original, uplifting songs made by the two, Divina and Icon quickly fascinated the audience with organized choreography, accompanied by tracks from DJ Natasha Backwards.
Audience participation was undoubtedly a main staple for the overall performance. A segment of the program involved audience members being chosen from their seats to pick out clothes and style themselves from the Infinity Loop closet before walking across the stage and back like that of a runway fashion show. Spectators kept spirits up, clapping and cheering for those strutting up and down the stage. After a 90’s tinged hip-hop dance sequence with Divina, Icon and all of the performers, audience members were also encouraged to boogie, accumulating into one big dance circle for everyone to join.
Skits, often hilarious ones, also played a significant role throughout the performance. One segment involved Divina and Icon being questioned about their love life in a mock late night show with Lucky. Videos of Divina and Icon in the making of the performance were also displayed, giving testament to the hard work that they’ve put in. Another short introduced the performers in a “choose your character” style typically seen in video games.
One would be remiss if they didn’t catch the queer themes present throughout the revue. One such occasion can be seen during the end of one of the videos, in which a broadcast warning signal is displayed with text stating, “Queer love has broken the binary again.”
The audience members, many of whom were unfamiliar with each other prior to the performance, were promised that they would leave the program as “a different person.” Given the level of entertainment expressed through clapping and cheers, as well as the level of companionship evident when hyping each other up during certain parts of the performance, the event seemed to do just that.
