BY MAKI SOMOSOT

In print | Published February 19, 2009 — Updated March 06, 2009 20:28

Correction Appended

Dance, one of the most versatile art forms, transforms the body into an instrument which expresses, communicates, inspires and changes. The vivacity and flexibility that characterize the art of dance were present in the Faculty Dance Concert, which took place on the evening of Feb. 14 at LPAC, presented by the department of music and dance. This year’s concert featured a varied collection of dances performed by Pallabi Chakravorty, Dolores Luis Gmitter, Isaburoh Hanayagi, Sally Hess, Lisa Kraus, C. Kemal Nance, R. Jeannine Osayande, Jumatatu Poe and Stephen Welsh.

The department wanted to educate the audience about the relationship between dance and social change. True to form, the concert incorporated unique, contemporary choreography that challenged conventional notions of dance, such as Hess’ “Slow Forward With One Exception,” a yoga asana piece; Poe’s “Flight Attendants,” a theatrical piece that portrayed commonplace figures in a sinister light; and Osayande’s “Justifying Grace,” Osayande’s rumination on her African-American heritage which honored six generations of her family, to name only a few.

“The performances … challenged the boundaries that I had about dance by showing me the possibilities that exist in performance,” Lisa Sambat ’10 said. “Dance is more than just physical movement; it is also a way to tell a story, express your experiences and provide social commentary.”

The concert also showcased a diverse representation of dance styles from countries all over the world, such as Japan, Africa, India and Spain. Isaburoh Hanayagi, in traditional Japanese dress, performed a native Japanese dance called “Kuni-iri-Yakko” (A Spear Carrier Returning to His Home Province), in which the only prop used was a spear.

The minimalist set-up of “Kuni-iri-Yakko” accentuated a focus on Japanese cultural tradition; a spear signified the yakko’s role to clear the way for the lord’s procession from his home to the capital. Chakravorty’s "Replaced Rituals” was a piece in the Kathak tradition, a North Indian classical form of dance, that depicted an unconventionally lovelorn Krishna longing for Radha and elicited hoots from the audience.

An equally explosive reaction from the audience accompanied the fierce flamenco rhythms that propelled “Solea del Alma Mia,” a single dance uniting three musically related flamenco works. This traditional yet rousing flamenco piece was my personal favorite, with Welsh’s quirky, satirical James Bond-esque piece “Caught in the Crosshairs” coming in at a close second. “Caught in the Crosshairs,” a fun, light mockery of James Bond’s pop-culture stature set to slick electronica, was performed by Welsh himself as the eponymous British spy, attempting to follow the instructions being issued by a disembodied voice of authority.

“I really liked [Poe’s] ‘Flight Attendants’ piece and the traditional Japanese dance, but there was some room for improvement when it came to the others,” Lizah Masis ’12 said. Indeed, it is safe to assume that this tradition will continue to change in ways that we can only imagine.

Correction: March 6, 2009

Correction: This article incorrectly reports that Eng Matthews was the performer of associate dance professor Stephen Welsh’s piece “Caught in the Crosshairs.” Stephen Welsh was actually the performer himself. Additionally, this article incorrectly reported that the title of assistant dance professor Pallabi Chakravorty’s piece was itself “Kathak.” The Kathak piece was actually titled “Replaced Rituals.”

« RETURN TO LIVING & ARTS

« PREV ARTICLE | NEXT ARTICLE »