RawMoves is—and I mean this in the best way possible— the garage band of local dance companies. That is to say, it is a labor of love by founding artistic co-directors and choreographers Natosha Washington and Nicholas Cendese. The company may not have its name on the window at the Rose Wagner, but it makes up for its lack of a donor list with passion and talent. The company won a SLAMMYs award from City Weekly in 2005 for best new dance company.

In its upcoming show, The Story of Eight, eight dancers come together with eight distinct props in a series of pieces. Each item becomes a character in its own right, against which the dancers play. RawMoves takes the “raw” in its name seriously. The mission is to use dance to elicit a visceral reaction—be it positive or negative, melancholic or mirthful—from its audiences in hopes of creating a transformative experience.

RawMoves: The Story of Eight @ Rose Wagner Black Box Theater, 138 W. 300 South, 801-355-ARTS, Jan. 21-23. RawMovesDance.com