Posted on March 26, 2006
For someone unaccustomed to the modern dance tradition, the opening number of the Contemporary Dance Ensemble’s spring concert might have come as a bit of a surprise. The beginning of “Affixed Exchanges,” choreographed by faculty member Roxann Morgan, began with a group of girls huddled together, jostling one another and yelling intermittently, which was meant to mimic the bizarre randomness of the subway system.
The second piece, entitled “Cede,” was directed by fifth-year student Jess Burgess. With the use of slow music and graceful, flowing movements, it captured the sadness of love and loss. The intensity of emotion was reflected on the dancers’ faces. Burgess reflected on the partnership formed between the choreographers and performers during their intense work on the show. “After five years of dance classes, I’ve come to an understanding about myself. It was a good show to graduate on.” This show was Burgess’ last with the ensemble.
Dawn Young’s “[Two Link]” reflected the high level of energy of the music. Young performed in four of the eight numbers, in addition to choreographing her own. “This concert as a whole has a comical, physical and emotional sense — a good variety,” said Young.
The two movements of “Mozart Maladies” were strikingly different. Both pieces were inspired by composer John Hilliard’s work on a fragment composed by Mozart and the dances were put together by artistic director Cynthia Thompson and faculty member Shane O’Hara. Audience members laughed as the girls yelled and ran on stage, clomping loudly in their galoshes, which they paired with mismatched black-and-white skirts and red zippered sweatshirts. From playing with their sweatshirt zippers to throwing their cast-off boots at the soloist, this piece really went against the norm.
The striking contrast between the movements and the classical music may have confused some audience members, but the continuity emphasized that this disparity was intentional. The first piece ended intentionally with the soloist falling down on stage, her rear end facing the audience. The second began the same way, as the soloist flopped herself offstage and the second group of dancers began.
The second half appeared to be more classical and featured girls in corsets and pigtails. At the end of the piece, the girls from the first half yelled and ran back onstage. Taken as a whole, this piece seemed to poke fun at the strict tradition of ballet.
Sara Hoke’s piece, “Walking with Ghosts,” showcased the student’s technique as well as emotions, as the somewhat disjointed guitar melody was reflected in the energetic movements of the performers. “Spinner’s Snare” by Meghan Amoroso also did a good job of reflecting the ethereal breathiness of the music.
The closing piece of the show was the fast-paced piece “INsideOUT,” by guest choreographer Donald Laney. The black and red dresses, flashing lights and intense music all added to the overall energy of the piece. This was by far the most technically demanding and exhausting piece of the whole show, and the concentration on the performers’ shining faces served to increase the audience’s respect for the performers.
The sound of heavy breathing by the dancers could be heard on stage as their calf muscles strained in balanced poses. The energy with which they finished the third piece was shown in their tired faces when the lights came up for their final bow, and the show ended on an extremely high note. According to Burgess, “the last one kicked my butt.”
