Fireworks Explode in Colors of Love at Center Stage Theater

Yulia Maluta has done it again! She has brought together dancers from different genres and a wide range of ages, whose high energy performances exploded on stage, like a colorful display of fireworks. Now in its 11^th year, Colors of Love (CoL) has expanded its range and deepened its message of a call to action through the arts. From the first show in 2015, highlighting the multiple facets of human love, CoL has evolved into a multicultural dance theater production under the auspices of Maluta’s new nonprofit: Transform Through Arts (transformthrougharts.org). Her message of uniting humanity, in all its diversity, through the performing arts is important in today’s war-torn world, and especially in the U.S. today. 

There is an old saying, attributed by some to the Cherokee Nation, that says, “Don’t judge a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes.” Extend this a bit, and you have the corollary: You cannot hate a nation if you have danced in their shoes, to their music. This is the powerful message that I take away from Colors of Love, and have believed all my life, since I was a teenager, dancing in a New York–based company called the EthnoAmerican Dance Theater. 

Music and dance unite everyone. 

The powerful opening piece, “Return to the Inner Temple,” performed to a spoken recitation with guitar accompaniment, began with the words, “It is our responsibility to dance …” This sentiment set the tone for the show. In this piece, each performer created their own individual choreographies — Maluta dancing with Hector Sanchez, Middle Eastern dancers Elvan and Nilay Engin, lyrical acrobatic dancers Jaylia McGary and Soleila Shea, and the eclectic Matthew Willis. Each solo evolved seamlessly from one to the next, and blended together at the end.

Many of the performers have been in CoL since its inception in February, 2015 at the Santa Barbara Dance Center. I have seen these dancers grow in their craft and artistry over the years. 

One such dancer is Turkish-born Nilay Engin. Engin moved to the U.S. in 2001 and began performing and competing here in 2003. Among her many accolades, she has won “Belly Dancer of the Universe” numerous times, and was inducted into the Belly Dancer of the Universe Hall of Fame in 2019. She first performed in CoL in February 2020. Her performances have grown increasingly focused and technical, and she is always exciting to watch. In this summer’s show she performed a modern Turkish Oriental piece to beautiful music by composer Murat Sakarya. Engin is also a fitness instructor, and her isolations and impeccable accents attest to how finely tuned her body is. She combines the best of the ancient culture with the modern world in her innovative choreographies. 

Another amazing performer, whom I have known for many years, is Elvan, also an award-winning dancer. What I appreciate most about her performances is her attention to the details of the music, and her exploration of various musical genres in her belly dance choreographies. In this summer’s CoL, Elvan performed a lively Salsa/Belly Dance fusion called “Salsa Conmigo, Habibi!” (“Dance Salsa with me, My Darling!”) with Russian-born dancer Ruslan Maliev. These two professionals are so accomplished in their respective styles, with technical precision, flirtatious interaction with each other and with the audience, and musicality that they created a truly spectacular and entertaining piece. Each one is an expert in isolations — Elvan in belly dance, and Maliev in hip hop — so that when they took turns with the drum solos, the result was sizzling! I look forward to seeing more from this new dancing couple! 

A newcomer to CoL this summer, who stole the show, is the unbelievable 6-year-old, multitalented dancer, singer, actor, pianist Soleila Shea. Soleila danced in the opening number, in a group piece called “Men in Black,” and performed her own incredible solo. She was clearly born to dance! For such a young performer Shea has not only amazing flexibility and balance, but poise, focus, expression, and musicality!  

One of the beautiful aspects of Maluta that I appreciate (having been in all of her CoL shows since 2015 except this one) is how she always finds new, young performers. Secure in her own expertise and long, professional career, she is not afraid to promote young performers who just might steal the show. She is concerned not only with her own performance, but with continuing the art form. Her hope is that, through Transform Through Arts performances, the audience will be inspired to help change the world for the better. This rare combination of expertise and humility is the foundation of all great dancers.

Another amazing young performer, who has been in CoL for two years, is Matthew Willis. Willis is a versatile dancer who burst onto the Santa Barbara stage in 2024 when he played the evil villain Faruk in Alexandra King’s Seraglio Story. Willis has been studying dance and theater since age 6. His powerful acrobatics have amazed Santa Barbara audiences, and he is also a much-sought-after partner.

And, of course, Maluta was the magic behind the night. She exploded with energy in her duet with Caterina Malinowski, a spicy fusion of Argentine tango and salsa, with infectious music that made me want to jump up and join them! And her powerful piece “Magic Wand,” with Hector Sanchez, to the song “Higher” by Michael Bublé, popped and sizzled like a Fourth of July sparkler. 

One wonders, How does Maluta find the time to choreograph new pieces for each show, teach students, run her nonprofit foundation, and produce Colors of Love twice a year, always looking fresh and well-rehearsed? 

I think it is because she is propelled forward by her vision. 

In a moving speech to the audience Maluta said, “There are outer forces trying to dehumanize us, and sometimes it’s almost desperate. … Sometimes it feels like, ‘well, what can I do to make a difference? Because I’m all by myself.’ But, there are many of us who see things differently, who see values, who see inclusivity, diversity, unity … harmony, love, peace — and that is the truth, and that is where we are going. … We can make choices.” 

The show included so many diverse acts — Chinese classical and folk dance, the spectacular ¡Flamenco! Santa Barbara, hip hop, jazz and lyrical dance. The penultimate piece was a rendition of Sia’s song “Unstoppable” by Terrill Carter, whose powerful performance brought me to tears. This song, with words that say, “I’m unstoppable!” brought home the message of the show. 

We must take the message of Colors of Love to heart, especially now, in the face of the horrors of the ongoing wars, including the war by certain forces in our own country against science, culture, and the arts. Unite through music and dance, appreciating our cultural differences. It is all we have at this moment. Maybe all we ever have.

If you missed this show, there will be another in February, 2026, so keep watching for updates at transformthrougharts.org.