Exceptional Dance’s first show is all about compassion

In “Origin,” its first full-length show, Exceptional Dance Co. presents 14 new pieces – contemporary, with room for tap and hip-hop – about maintaining humanity during times of animosity. The theme extends offstage: Established in June 2024, Exceptional was designed to provide a place for adult dancers to continue their craft in a safe and supportive environment. “We are living in a time where I think it’s important to champion compassion,” founder and artistic director Lindsay Gibbons says. (Which is not to say the dance lacks rigor; as at any company, members are told to “leave their problems at the door” at rehearsals or class, Gibbons says.) The centerpiece of the night is its longest, called “The Things We Carry.” Gibbons describes is as “an exploration of the things that trickle down between generations. Perhaps something happened to your great-grandmother and that has impacted how you and your mother operate today.”

This post originally ran in Cambridge Day