Description

The struggle to break free is where our true strength is revealed.

Conceptualized in collaboration with Efren Gutierrez and Anthony Cox, “Stuck” explores the struggle to break free from the invisible barriers that hold us back. Built around a reimagining of Queen’s “I Want to Break Free” in a haunting minor key, the show threads its theme through every movement. It begins in an ambient clump that stretches outward only to collapse again, capturing the cycle of hope and confinement. The first movement establishes the emotional core with restrained, circling motifs that emphasize the feeling of being trapped. The second movement offers a brighter glimpse of freedom, though always tinged with unease. In the third, that optimism collides with mounting tension as the ensemble is pulled back into confinement. The finale returns to the opening clump, but this time one figure finally breaks free, leaving a lasting image of defiance and release.

Originally commissioned for Bakersfield College in 2025, who made PIO finals at WGI World Championships.