The Space in Between: A Ballet for This Moment

What if the world you thought you knew wasn’t real?

That question sits at the heart of Of Light and Shadow. It weaves through The Cave, where Plato’s chained prisoners mistake flickering shadows for reality. It lingers in Celestia, where the vastness of the unknown beckons us toward something greater. And it takes center stage in The Space in Between, where those who encounter truth must decide: Will I step forward into reality, or will I retreat into the comfort of illusion?

This ballet is about the moment of decision. The space in between belief and doubt. The threshold where a person sees truth clearly for the first time but hesitates, unsure whether to embrace it or turn back.

Living in the Shadows

We like to think we’d always choose truth, that we’d break free from deception without hesitation. But the reality is more complicated. We live in a world that makes it easy—even preferable—to remain in the shadows.

We curate our own realities. We filter the uncomfortable truths. We scroll past what challenges us. And when the light of something real—something truer than what we’ve known—breaks in, our first instinct is often resistance, not acceptance.

That’s the struggle we see in The Space in Between. The dancers embody souls caught between two realities—one they’ve always known, and one they’ve glimpsed but don’t yet understand. Some stretch forward, reaching for something greater. Others recoil, clinging to the comfort of the familiar. They twist, pull, hesitate. They fight against the truth, not because it isn’t good, but because it’s unknown.

A Story for Our Time

This ballet isn’t just about ancient philosophy or abstract ideas—it speaks directly to the world we live in today. Truth has become subjective, shaped by personal experience, algorithms, and ideological divides. People retreat into their own carefully constructed caves, surrounding themselves with the version of reality that feels safest.

But what if we’re wrong? What if the things we’ve built our lives around—the narratives, the assumptions, the illusions—are just shadows on a wall?

The Space in Between forces us to wrestle with that question. It doesn’t offer easy answers, but it does demand a response. Because in the end, there is no standing still. We either choose truth, or we retreat into the lie.

Stepping Into Reality

One of the most powerful moments in this ballet comes when a dancer takes that first uncertain step forward. Their movement shifts—less resistance, more surrender. There’s a tension between fear and freedom, but they press on. They begin to see clearly.

That’s what I hope audiences take away from The Space in Between. Not just a performance, but a challenge. A moment to ask: Where am I standing? What am I holding onto that isn’t real? And am I willing to step beyond the illusion, even when it costs me?

Because truth is worth it. Reality is worth it. The light is worth it.

— Julianna Rubio Slager