Catapult dazzles Redlands Bowl audience with shadow-dance spectacle

REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Bowl became a canvas of imagination and illusion on July 11 as Catapult, the internationally renowned shadow-dance company, delivered a mesmerizing performance that thrilled a full house with light, movement, and masterful storytelling.

Best known for reaching the finals of America’s Got Talent in 2013, Catapult presented “Magic Shadows,” a theatrical art form that fuses dance, storytelling, and sculpture using nothing but the human body, a screen, and carefully crafted lighting. The result was a dazzling display of silhouette illusions that transformed dancers into ships, animals, castles, and even helicopters, transporting the audience into fantastical worlds.

Founded in 2008 by choreographer Adam Battelstein—formerly a creative director and teaching artist for Pilobolus Dance Theatre—Catapult has since performed across the globe, from major U.S. venues to corporate events in Stockholm, Sweden. Friday’s show marked the company’s debut at the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival.

The show featured hundreds of shape transformations animated by the dancers’ shadows and guided by music and visual storytelling. From Vivaldi’s Four Seasons springing to life to scenes of dragons, elephants, and iconic landmarks like Paris and Beijing, the performance was both whimsical and deeply emotional. Audiences of all ages were captivated by the company’s ability to tell stories with humor and pathos through nothing more than movement and shadow.

Catapult’s performance embodied the Bowl’s mission of offering world-class, family-friendly entertainment free of charge—a tradition that continues to thrive.

The next Redlands Bowl performance will be held on July 15 featuring the Navy Band Southwest. For more information, visit https://redlandsbowl.org.