DANCE/Hartwell creates a new world

By Kate Pracher
ASSOCIATE LIFESTYLES EDITOR

When an entirely new and different world is created, the audience can reside in that world. In that one piece, the audience forgets about the world surrounding them and immerses themselves in their new world for the moment. And this is what dance is truly about.

Many different dances created new worlds for the audience in DANCE/Hartwell, Thursday, April 3 through Friday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m.

The first piece performed was “Dawning,” choreographed by graduate student Cynthia Hermann and set to Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7.” The movement superbly followed the dynamics and accents found in the music.

“Dawning” set the mood for the entire concert. The piece created a new atmosphere and invited the audience to live in it. A few seconds into the piece, viewers could not help but be drawn into this new peaceful environment.
A single circular light shone on the backdrop, and a stream of light shimmered across the stage floor diagonally.

This light provided a pathway for the eight dancers to elegantly move.

Hermann created a definitive movement vocabulary for her dancers. The dancers moved only on the diagonal line, sweeping their limbs through the air beautifully. “Dawning” left it difficult for other pieces to stand up to its high standards.

“Who am I/Where am I going?” was choreographed by graduate student Kirstin Howard and set to “Down to The River to Pray,” performed by Alison Krauss.

Nine dancers embodied the river itself and continuously flowed in and around each other. Howard executed full use of the stage space, sending her dancers flowing through every space available.

Each dancer’s movement quality fit completely with the rest of the group, so that the group looked like a whole. The result of this was a whole group of dancers moving in a new world.

“Broken Silence” was choreographed by graduate student Crystal K. Malone and set to “Wanted,” by Daniel Bernard Roumain. The trio of dancers performed strong, angular movement that fit the dissonance created by the music.

Malone created a new world for the audience by coaching her dancers to emit a sense of strength and at the same time, a sense of insecurity about their surroundings. The dancers crouched near the ground as if to protect themselves and look out for intruders. The disjoint created by their movement allowed viewers to submerge themselves into this world in order to discover why these dancers were constantly on the lookout.

“Ache Essence” was a thesis piece choreographed by graduate student Molly Elizabeth Christie. It began with a group of dancers piled on the floor in the middle of the stage with one dancer draped over them. The effects of the first part of this piece captured the audience.

Dazzling lights shone on the backdrop and on the dancers’ stark white costumes as they moved through the stage. The eight dancers were dressed in all white, complete with white headdresses. The dancers moved as strong women with closed fists and compelling shoulder movements.

According to Christie’s public statement, the work explored the embodiment and transformation of encoded ritual movement and rhythmic languages from two sacred dance and music traditions.

It was clear that the piece emanated the strength of women everywhere. The audience resided in a world where women personified strength, energy and development.

“Arrival” was the thesis work of graduate student Cynthia Hermann and created a colorful, energetic world. Hermann used direct music visualization in her choreography.

As the music slowed, so did the dancers’ movements. As the intensity of the music increased, so did the dancers’ intensity.

High jump sequences and angular movements defined the movement vocabulary of the piece. The dancers’ individual moments of stillness were as effective as were the moments of group unison shown in “Arrival.”

“Lofter’s Paradise” was the thesis work of graduate student Mark Schmidt and created a mesmerizing world for the audience. His dancers were dressed in chic hats, black pants and colorful tops.

Three bottles of powder were used as props to sprinkle on the floor of the stage. The dancers used the powder to explore new movement. They danced smoothly with their own individual dynamics and accents, moving to the beat created by the music.

It was clear that the seven dancers were individuals and the movement they performed reinforced this idea.
DANCE/Hartwell proved that the dance department holds innovative and modern choreographers in its students. Through producing movement and coaching their dancers, they were able to successfully create new worlds for their viewers to reside in at the exact moment.

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