ESCAPE by DIAVOLO | A Dance Between Light and Dark

There are performances that move you — and then there are performances that shake something awake inside you.

ESCAPE by DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion® is the latter.

From the moment the lights dimmed inside L’ESPACE DIAVOLO in Los Angeles, I was captivated. What unfolded before us was more than dance; it was a symphony of motion, emotion, and raw human spirit. It was a physical conversation between the body and the soul — between the light and dark within all of us.

A Living, Breathing Work of Art

Created by Jacques Heim, the visionary founder and creative director of DIAVOLO, ESCAPE invites its audience into a world where movement becomes storytelling and architecture becomes emotion. Each leap, each climb, each fall carried meaning — a metaphor for the fragile balance we all navigate between freedom, fear, and resilience.

The performance brought together 22 extraordinary artists moving among massive custom-built architectural structures. From moments of chaos to breathtaking stillness, the energy was magnetic. You could feel the pulse of survival, of heartbreak, of human strength in every motion.

The soundtrack — an electric blend of pop, EDM, and rock spanning the 1970s to today — elevated the performance even more, guiding the audience through waves of nostalgia, adrenaline, and hope.

The Human Connection

What struck me most was how deeply this piece speaks to our collective struggle and healing. ESCAPE doesn’t shy away from pain — it leans into it.

It reminds us that even in the darkest corners of our stories, there’s rhythm, there’s light, and there’s always a way through.

Watching the dancers — of all shapes, colors, and sizes — move together in harmony was a reminder of something profoundly human: we all carry scars, but it’s our movement through them that defines our art.

It didn’t matter who you were in that room — everyone felt it. The breath, the sweat, the stillness. Together, we escaped — not from the world, but into a more honest reflection of it.

More Than a Show — A Mission

Beyond the beauty of the performance, ESCAPE carries a purpose.

Proceeds from ticket sales support The DIAVOLO Veterans Program, an initiative that helps military veterans reconnect with their strength, body, and spirit through movement. Over 700 veterans nationwide have taken part in this transformative experience, which blends art, healing, and community in the most powerful way.

Jacques Heim, who’s also known for choreographing Cirque du Soleil’s KA and the 2018 Asian Games Opening Ceremony, continues to push boundaries — not just in art, but in how art can heal.

As he says,

“In life, it is all about the shared human experience and our resilience in the face of struggle. Through our work and our artform together we can escape.”

And that’s exactly what this performance gives you — an escape not from life, but back into it.

If You Go

Performances run October through November 2025 at L’ESPACE DIAVOLO (616 Moulton Avenue, Los Angeles).

Tickets start at $49 and are available at diavolo.org/escape.

Each show seats just 90 people, offering an incredibly intimate experience — you’re less than five feet away from the action. You’ll see every drop of sweat, every bruise, every heartbeat of this high-octane masterpiece.

Final Thought

From my perspective, ESCAPE was a beautiful dance between the light and dark within us. I was absolutely astounded by the movements I saw and the emotions they conjured. It didn’t matter the shape, size, or color — together, the performers illuminated an aura that we could all feel. As sad as that may sound, so many of us have walked that fine line between pain, heartache, giving up, and finding the light again. ESCAPE is a stunning reminder of our shared humanity — a beautiful connection to the ugly truths we encounter on our journey, and to the ways we find grace as we learn to cope and rise through it all.

For me, ESCAPE was a mirror — a reminder that pain and beauty can coexist, and that healing itself is art in motion.

If you ever have the chance to witness DIAVOLO live, don’t miss it.

You won’t just watch — you’ll feel.