A variety of works will be featured in Dance 32, Hope College's annual major dance concert, which will run Thursday-Saturday, March 9-11, at 8 p.m. in the DeWitt Center main theatre.
A variety of works will be featured in Dance 32, Hope College's annual major dance concert, which will run Thursday-Saturday, March 9-11, at 8 p.m. in the DeWitt Center main theatre.
The program will present works created by Hope's dance faculty as well as guest faculty/choreographers Jacqueline Bird and Jon Lehrer.
Choreographer Linda Graham's original contemporary ballet piece, "Threshold," explores subconscious imagery. The dance was created in silence and uses the dynamics of movement to create rhythmic phrasing. In other words, there is no "beat." The sound design is an original compilation created by Erik Alberg, using music by Vigna Obman, Serge DeVadder and Thomas Newman. The dancers' voices were also recorded and manipulated into the sound design.
Ray Tadio will present a jazz piece, "Kashyapa's Wives and the Silent Transmission," with three different music selections: "The Flower Duet" and "Ocean Beach" by Mighty Black Orchestra, and "Hope for Everyone" by Heritage O.P.
"Face Time," choreographed by Rosanne Barton-DeVries, was created in response to an invitation from Dr. Alexander Papaderos, founder of the Orthodox Academy of Crete. The academy houses "Face to Face," an international and interfaith art project inspired by the vision of the Orthodox Saint Makarios, who saw hell as a place in which people were bound back-to-back and restricted from looking into each other's eyes. The academy, conversely, hopes for the healing of individuals and nations through their mutual consent to engage in relationship and see deeply into the eyes of the other. The premiere work is being staged on sound-amplifying tap platforms designed by senior Nathan Makowski of Detroit, with
costume design by senior Jessica Bodtke of Grand Junction. It is set to "John Lee Huber" and "Naschkatze" by Tosca.
Amanda Smith's original pointe ballet piece, "Whispers of Cairo," is set to music by Hossam Ramzy and Phil Thortan.
Steven Iannacone will be presenting an original work, "The 'Carmina Burana' Project: Phase I." The project is a work in progress that will continue to evolve over the next few years, with Phase II featured during Dance 33 in 2007. The music is by Carl Orff, with lighting design by Erik Alberg and costumes by Susan Eyler. The set design is based on original paintings by Katherine Sullivan of the Hope art faculty.
Returning faculty member Julio EnriqueRivera is presenting a new piece "JUNOMA / NEW HORIZON (just when we think we have arrived, a new land emerges)." The music is by Gerrard / Smallwood, with costumes created by Susan Eyler.
Guest choreographer Jacqueline Bird has set an original piece, "Cellphonehypnotic," which is a social commentary on cell phone etiquette and how the cell phone is getting in the way of real human interaction. Bird uses a combination of humor and satire to drive the storyline in the hope of inspiring the audience members to think about their personal attachments to technology.
Guest choreographer Jon Lehrer will showcase his piece "Oceanic Nymph," an exploration of underwater sea creatures and how they would move and dance. The piece lends itself to duets and solos to show the underwater creatures' interactions, providing the opportunity for each dancer to be seen apart from the larger group. The music is by Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin.
Tickets for Dance 32 are available at the ticket office in the front lobby of the DeVos Fieldhouse, and cost $7 for regular admission, and $5 for senior citizens, students, and members of the Hope College faculty and staff.
The ticket office is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890. On performance nights the theatre lobby ticket office in the DeWitt Center will be open shortly before the curtain rises.
The DeVos Fieldhouse is located facing Fairbanks Avenue between 9th and 11th streets. The DeWitt Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street.