Spring Dance Concert Features ‘Catharsis’
A colorful collection of ballet, modern and jazz pieces will
highlight the annual spring performance of the Alma College Dance
Company.
“This concert has a terrific mix of all different aspects of
choreography and dance,” says Carol Fike, associate professor of dance.
“It’s a beautiful concert with beautiful dancing, music and costumes.
There is a lot of variety, and it’s easy and amazing to enjoy
watching.”
Performances begin at 8 p.m. Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15
and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 16 in the Remick Heritage Center. Tickets are
$10 for adults and free for Alma College staff, students, and youth 18
and under. Seating is reserved. Call (989) 463-7304 for ticket
information.
The
show features a blend of captivating dances and innovative styles,
including the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble’s residency piece “Catharsis,”
as well as works by visiting instructors, Fike and company
dancers.
The concert begins with “Dance Foyer,” a classical ballet piece
choreographed by Sherry Gilpin and set to Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto
#3 in G.
Gilpin, a guest choreographer at Alma College, is a former principal
dancer with the Louisville Ballet, St. Louis Ballet Theatre and Ohio
Ballet. She is an established choreographer, having presented works
with the Midwest Dance Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, McDonald Dance
Theatre, Rockford Ballet Company and the Interlochen Arts Center. She
currently works and choreographs for the Chicago National Association
of Dance Masters and works as Artist in Residence at Center Stage Dance
in Kentucky.
The concert continues with the jazzy “St. James Infirmary,”
choreographed by Rochester Hills sophomore Gabriella Abrego to the
music of the Louis Armstrong tune of the same name.
“Glimpse” is a modern dance piece by Fike. First performed seven years
ago, Fike and dancers have recreated this dance of “glimpses” to Tim
Story’s lovely, ambient song “Lydia.”
“When you watch this piece, you won’t know exactly what the dance is
representing,” Fike explains about “Glimpse.” “It’s not seeing
full moments but instead being presented with slices of lives and
pieces of moments.”
Concluding the first half of the concert is “Hanasakajijii,” a lively
jazz number choreographed by visiting jazz instructor Liz Joynt
Sandberg and featuring Anathallo, a Mount Pleasant-based band.
Sandberg is the artistic director and choreographer for think/dance
collective, the nationally touring modern dance and performance art
group that she founded in 1997. She also is the owner and director of
Vision Studio of Performing Arts and a guest choreographer and teacher
at Central Michigan University and Alma’s Academy of Performing Arts.
Sandberg recently finished choreographing “The Martian Chronicles” at
the Lincoln Square Theatre in Chicago. She performs her original work
on the newly released Encyclopedia Asthmatica DVD.
The second half of the concert opens with “Catharsis,” which was
choreographed by guest artist-in-residence Laurie Eisenhower and
performed during the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble’s earlier residency with
student dancers joining the ensemble. Set to Philip Glass’ “Abdulmajid”
from his “Heroes Symphony,” this piece is “absolutely exquisite,” says
Fike.
“The dance is beautifully choreographed,” says Fike. “It’s richly
textured with music, movement and position and is altogether stunning.”
“Saeglopur,” set to and named after the Sigur Ros hit song, is a
sea-themed dance choreographed by Sylvan Lake junior Diana Walton.
Concluding the concert is “Optic Desert,” choreographed by Gilpin with
music by the Blue Man Group. “Optic Desert” is “a very funky and fun
ballet piece,” says Fike.
Eisenhower, founder and director of the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, has
performed and taught around the country with various dance companies
and choreographers, including the Pilobolus Dance Theatre, David
Parsons, Chen and Dancers, Harry Streep III, and Mel Wong. Her work was
presented twice at the Morningside Dance Festival at the Theatre of the
Riverside Church in New York City. She has received several Creative
Artists grants from state arts foundations, the Michigan Dance
Association Choreographers Festival Award, the Women in Art Award for
Choreography, and the 2003 Artserve Michigan Governor’s Arts Award for
outstanding dance at Oakland University, where Eisenhower is a
professor of dance.
Posted: Fri, March 7th, 2008 at 9:29AM
