Fall dance concert swings through Homecoming
The 2004 Fall Dance Concert, presented by the MeadowsDance Ensemble, opened Wednesday and continues through Sunday withshows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets,available at the Meadows Box Office in the Owen Arts Center are $12for adults, $9 for seniors and $6 with an SMU ID.
As stated in the program, “The performance is dedicated tothe memory of Larry White with love and gratitude from his friends,colleagues and students.”
Tuesday night’s dress rehearsal was dedicated to thememory of Paul Talley.
According to the program, “Paul was a good friend, whosebrilliance as a photographer has graced us for the past 12 years. Aretrospective of his work can be viewed in the lobby of the BobHope Theatre.”
For those who haven’t seen “Hope Show,”you’re in for quite a treat.
The lights dim and the grand drape recedes. A pale blue lightilluminates the stage for “Andante,” a pointe piecechoreographed by visiting artist-in-residence Chung-Lin Tseng, withmusic by Tchaikovsky. Featuring eight pas de deuxs,”Andante” is as romantic as it is elegant withperiwinkle pleated dresses for the women and matching shirts withgrey pants for the men.
The poise and grace of the women combined with the strength andbeauty of the men (it’s breathtaking watching some of thelifts), makes “Andante” an excellent appetizer.
On a dark stage, music by Dead Can Dance echoes through the Hopetheater for “Toward Within,” a modern piecechoreographed by Sabrina Madison-Cannon, an assistant professor ofdance at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. The visuallystimulating jewel colored costumes and lighting are almost too muchto handle at first but just enough to keep you interested.
The costumes, cropped tops with long bell sleeves, and theCeltic-like music give the piece an Irish folk-like feel. Lightingdesigner Susan White must have had a field day designing thelighting scheme but the finished product makes “TowardWithin” a unique modern experience.
Again on a dark stage, a dim yellow spotlight focuses on a malesoloist, [Philip John Orsano (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday), ZacHammer (Thursday, Sunday)] bare chested and wearing off-white meshpants, posed in a contorted handstand.
“Sanctuary,” also choreographed by Madison-Cannon,is a powerful, masculine modern piece with industrial-type music byMichael Gordon and David Lang. White’s lighting accentuatesthe intensity of the dance as well as the dancer’smovements.
Following intermission a familiar piece entitled”Plucked,” as seen in Brown Bag gracefully pas debourrees its way to the Hope stage. This classical ballet by juniorJoshua Peugh, has a spunky twist with a red backdrop, red dressesad a sensual pas de deux featuring the two men in black hotpants.
Full of emotion and life, “Plucked” adds a fieryflavor to the Hope Show.
Blue lighting opens “Bella Italia,” also a productof Brown Bag. Choreographed and performed by Patrick Leahy andJenny Gillan, this piece is a mix of modern and ballet. Thedancer’s movements and expressions draw the audience deeperinto their affair and are sure to bring a few tears to the moreemotional show-goers’ eyes.
Mezzo-soprano Callie Wahl and pianist Jill Smith begin”Nuit d’été,” choreographed byShelley Berg, director of graduate studies for the division ofdance. Berg restaged a female solo [Elizabeth Escosa (Wednesday,Saturday, Sunday), Kirby Killam (Thursday, Friday)] to “LeSpectre de la rose” from the original production of”Nuits d’été.”
One of two pieces with props, “Nuit d’ete”combines music and dance into an amazing display of love. For thewomen in the audience, the soloist’s velvet, deep purpleflowing gown brings a true sense of classical romanticism to thestage.
The final and most intense piece, “Panorama,”choreographed by Martha Graham and restaged by Myra Woodruff withJennifer Holmes, Nathan Montoya and Larry White, originallypremiered Aug. 14, 1935.
With 36 female dancers, scarlet red, full length dresses and amatching abstract mobile, “Panorama’s” music,composed by Norman Lloyd and performed by the Meadows WindEnsemble, truly brings Graham’s piece to life withhard-hitting bass and delicate wind instruments.
With so much going on, it’s hard to absorb every step andgesture but Graham’s work comes together nicely and is sureto leave audiences wide-eyed.
