Showcase hits the stage dancing
The Young Choreographer’s Showcase premieres this weekend at the Mertz Studio, and all I can say is “Wow!” I know, when someone says “dance recital” the immediate, twofold reaction is cringe-worthy: “The Nutcracker Ballet” and the obligatory grade school dance recitals that never seem to end.
Not this. Dance tends to be its own language, and at times its own world. While I may not speak the language, I can certainly inhabit the world long enough to appreciate it.
The biannual show, which lasted about an hour and 15 minutes, was made up of seven dances choreographed by different students in the department. Most of these choreographers are dance minors, or have declared dance as a second major. Each choreographer used a varying number of dancers in their show, ranging from one to eight. Some pieces had no set. One piece, “the Gathering,” used a couch and a table. I enjoyed displays of everything from modern dance to pointe-ballet. The pieces were so different, eclectic and full of diverse emotions that to try and describe the show as a whole is simply impossible.
The only tying themes were the ideas of movement and emotion. The dancers told me they wanted the audience to realize that dance doesn’t have to be restricted. I was urged to open up and just let the dancing elicit an emotion. On the other hand, I was also told that sometimes dance can be movement purely for movement’s sake.
While these ideas may seem jumbled, they worked well together. True, each dance seemed unconnected to those around it, but that sense of unconnected nature kept me interested and made me wonder what was coming next. In short, I was captivated.
The show’s strongest quality wasn’t the costumes (which were nice and added to the interest) or the lights (which helped create mood changes). It wasn’t even the talent of the dancers, though they were amazing.
The Young Choreographer’s Showcase worked because everything came together for a show that was disjointed enough to keep me interested without losing me, and made me eager to see what could come next.
So even if you are not a dancer-not all of us are blessed with grace-this show will keep you watching. It’s short, it has a lot of talent, and it will make an audience member feel more in an hour than they normally feel in a day. The show starts at 8 p.m. March 28 and 29 and at 2 p.m. March 30.
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