Compassion and Transcend-dance is a dance and mask-theater performance, performed and created by Liz Erber and Andrew Wass. The piece is second in a series of evening-length performances from Erber and Wass, exploring the topic of compassion. Organized in a collage-style format, story, dance and audience-interaction scenes fold together in a non-linear way, reflecting the often non-linear experience of everyday life, in which present moment blends with memory, fear, beliefs, dreams, hopes for the future, usw.

"Showing compassion" is perhaps one of the most profound ways to connect with others, whether they are people, animals, or the environment. True compassion goes beyond empathy, driving us into action, to relieve the suffering of others. Through compassion, we transcend the often typical concern for one’s self and one’s well-being alone. One is reminded of heroic acts during the holocaust, 9-11, or natural disasters such as the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia. Compassion seems to arise in abundance during extreme situations or periods of crisis, but what about everyday life?