Page 14 // WEDNESDAY, March 4, 2009
The Pendulum
Style DanceWorks 2009: expressing spirit through dance Amanda Kennison A&E Editor Last weekend, Elon hosted DanceWorks 2009, which was organzied and performed entirely by Elon students, and welcomed everyone from the Elon community to its performances. The show was well received by audiences. And at all five show times performers danced in a packed Black Box Theatre. “I was so pleased with the performances and the turnout of the shows,” sophomore performer Kara Griffin said. “All of them sold out with people standing or sitting on the floor. The audience has had a great energy and was very receptive to our work.” Until this fall, DanceWorks was previously recognized as “Just Dancin’ Around.” In 2004, dance majors Rebecca O’Quinn ('07) and Alena Johnson ('06) organized the first performance. After five years, DanceWorks remains the only entirely student-run production that allows any type of dance and any student to perform. DanceWorks 2009 boasted a one-hour and 20-minute runtime and included 14 pieces. Auditions for the show began in late November, before the selections for the spring show were made and a tentative cast was set. A second round of auditions was held after the first week of spring semester. At this time, final selections for the show were made and the overall design of the show was decided upon. The 14 pieces performed at DanceWorks 2009 created an eclectic mixture. From the opening flag dance to “Tom’s Diner,” a contemporarytap fusion, to traditional ballet pieces, the show offered something for dance lovers of all types. “We collectively chose pieces that we were confident would create a performance of diversity, craftsmanship and artistic integrity,” senior Elizabeth Easterly said. “We chose pieces that would create a collectively entertaining, technical yet kaleidoscopic show.” Equally important were the long months of rehearsals put in by the performers. From the first audition in
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Freshmen Maggie Mial and Jessica Duffy battle in ‘The Only Truth’, a fight between good and evil with dancers junior Sunny Smith, freshman Matthew Meigs, freshman Allison Zmozynski and sophomore Stephanie Lloyd. November — and in some cases even 2009 left both audience members choreography, and it’s unusual to see as early as September — individual and performers more than pleased. this kind of teamwork and trust at a performers began practicing. Just as “I was so excited to perform in this collegiate level. There was so much the dances were varied in style and show, because it has a very different positive energy during this process, execution, so were their inspirations. feel to it,” Griffin said. “All of the works that no matter what happened, we knew DanceWorks vice president, junior are our own, so we’re not just dancing we were going to have an amazing show Rachel Perlman, choreographed and to perform. Our hearts have been in and a great time working together.” performed in the piece “The Human these pieces for a while since the roots Perlman said shows like DanceWorks Heart has hidden treasure, in Secret of them come from within ourselves.” are important to dancers, because they kept, in Silence Sealed; the thoughts, In addition to the excitement allow a performer to practice and hone the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures, performing in DanceWorks brings, skills, as well as be able to demonstrate whose charms were Broken if Revealed.” the organization helps students it to the public. DanceWorks also “It’s a contemporary group dance, hone professional skills, and it allows dancers from all backgrounds inspired by the idea of how a secret and provides an opportunity for them to come together, learn from each gossip are spread through the metaphor to showcase their talents and get other’s styles and put together a of a rose and rose petals,” Perlman said. a taste of what is yet to come. creative, cohesive performance. Other pieces gained inspiration “I was completely impressed While the performers benefited from everything from songs to specific with the core concepts and layers of from showcasing their talents friendships — which was the case for meaning behind each piece,” Easterly for people outside of their field, Griffin’s “The Fire in Your Heart is Out.” said. “There was a huge amount of Easterley, Griffin and Perlman The careful audition process and professionalism in everyone’s attitude all enjoyed seeing the audiences' rehearsal time paid off as DanceWorks toward design as well as to their spirited responses to their pieces.
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TOP LEFT: Freshman Jessica Duffy and sophomore Bill Commander perform “Growing Bones” to the music “Prelude No. 20 in C minor” by Chopin. TOP CENTER: Junior Stuart Richie opened up the program with ‘Parallels,’ a flag number with fellow dancer senior Meredith McNeill. TOP RIGHT: Junior Casey Castine and sophomore Erin Keim perform “Get Ready” to Fergie’s “Here I come.” BOTTOM LEFT: Dancers junior Rachel Perlman, junior Rachael Fine, sophomore Kara Griffin, freshman Emily Falconer and senior Kasey Waters conclude DanceWorks with their performance of “The human heart has