Dance Concert 2014, featured three dance suites: (This is…) Everything We Got, Dawn Chorus, and Pictures at an Exhibition.
In (This is…) Everything We Got, we paid homage to a selection of popular U.S. dance crazes. Pop and lock, twerking, vogue, running man, roger-rabbit, cabbage patch, the twist, foxtrot, swing, and more were featured. I wanted to start the concert with a rush of energy that hopefully made the audience want to get out of their seats and join in on the fun. In these dances, the performers were giving it everything!
Dawn Chorus was entirely inspired by the music of Andrew Bird. Each song in the suite was from his work on the soundtrack to the film, Norman. While the title of the suite was meant to reference the composer himself, I also found that his music conjured images of birds in flight; the movement was motivated by these images and has qualities of suspension and release, of soaring, and of pulling toward a new destination.
The concept behind Pictures at an Exhibition originated with my colleague, Jen Kintner. Jen’s idea was to work with pieces of visual art as inspiration for choreography. Difference Only in Height was inspired by van Gogh’s painting, Starry Night. Miro Mobile was inspired by Miro’s Blue. Someone to Watch over Me was inspired by Monet’s Bridge over the Waterlilies. And Fauve was inspired by a series of paintings by Franz Marc and represents the seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Jen Kintner, artistic director of Mountain Movers, ETSU’s resident modern dance company, was instrumental in bringing Pictures at an Exhibition to the stage. The high quality work of student choreographers, Caitlin Gawne and Jessica Vest, were also presented in this suite.
Sleeping with Sickness served as Hannah Hasch’s senior capstone experience as a Fine and Performing Arts Honors scholar. I had the pleasure of mentoring Hannah on her thesis, My Year as a Choreographer* and thought her dance would fit well with the other pieces in Pictures at an Exhibition. Hannah discovered the painting, Lost Love by Adrian Calin, after her dance was composed; it was selected as an accurate representation of the performers’ emotions throughout the dance. All of the paintings were on display via slideshow in the lobby.
Now that I’ve told you a bit about the dances, I'd like to say a few words about the dancers themselves. Their generosity throughout the entire process was humbling. Night after night, they came in ready to work, to dig deep, to dance fully and with passion. I’d say, “Let’s do this one more time...” for the hundredth time in a row, and they’d happily do it again! On a number of occasions, I asked them to improvise, to explore and to come up with movement that I could play with and stitch into the rest of the dance. They were always game, ready and willing to share their talents and ideas. I am deeply grateful for their collaborative spirit.
And last but certainly not least, the designers and crew members who have worked countless hours to make this show a reality, were integral to the success of this production.
*My Year as a Choreographer faculty readers: Professors Melissa Shafer and Scott Contreras-Koterbay
Costume Design: Professor Karen Brewster
Lighting Design: Professor Melissa Shafer
Photo Credit: ETSU Photographic Services