Fall Dance Concert Features Range of Genres
Dances choreographed to a range of genres, including a new modern
work accompanied by percussionists and a classical dance performed to
Tchaikovsky, will highlight the annual fall concert of the Alma College
Dance Company.
The student performances, under the leadership of faculty
choreographers Carol Fike and Thomas Morris, take place at 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 8 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9 in the
Remick Heritage Center.
Members of the Alma College Fall 2008 Dance Company.
Tickets
are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 62 and up, and free for Alma College
staff, students and youth 18 and under. Seating is reserved. Call (989)
463-7304 for ticket information.
“The concert is a wonderful collection of different dance genres,” says
Fike. “It ranges from Neo-classical ballet to character to jazz to
modern. There is something for everybody.”
Fike has choreographed a modern work using the technique of John Cage
and Merce Cunningham in which the dancers have practiced separately
from their accompaniment, in this case the members of the Alma College
Percussion Ensemble. This technique separates the dancers from their
actual improvisatory music accompaniment until they come together for
the actual performances. Onstage, the eight percussionists are
choreographed to move with the 28 dancers.
“This is the first time in my teaching career that the dance company
will perform with choreographed percussionists and in the Cage and
Cunningham way,” says Fike. “We are thrilled to include the eight
members of the Percussion Ensemble performing live on stage with the
dancers.”
Morris
has choreographed a Neo-classical work to a Tchaikovsky score,
“Serenade for Strings.” He also will present the character, mazurka and
czardas dances from the ballet “Coppelia.” First preformed in 1870,
this ballet was a break from tradition with its humor and integration
of national dances. It was an immediate success and today is one of the
best-known comedy ballets.
Students also will perform a dance choreographed by Kristen Bennett, a
new ballet and jazz instructor at Alma College, in the jazz genre to a
piece by Phil Collins.
Posted: Tue, October 28th, 2008 at 2:03PM
