The Department of Dance at Brigham Young University will present its annual “dancEnsemble” concert, a contemporary dance showcase, Thursday through Saturday, March 17‒19, at 7:30 p.m. in the Richards Building Dance Studio Theatre (166 RB). An additional matinee performance will be Saturday, March 19, at 2 p.m.
All tickets are $6 a seat at byuarts.com/tickets or (801) 422-4322.
The special edition of dancEnsemble’s winter concert, dubbed “transcenDance,” features works that will uplift and delight audiences. The highlight of the evening will be a specially licensed work by modern dance pioneer Martha Graham, called “Panorama,” which was choreographed in 1935. This powerful number utilizes a large cast and incorporates masterful geometric design in order to convey a strong socio-political theme, demonstrating Graham’s tenet that “the body says what words cannot.”
(Please note that this concert coincides with the acclaimed Martha Graham Dance Company, which will be performing at BYU Tuesday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets for that performance cost from $8 to $30.)
Student and faculty work will also be featured on the program. Student Joshua Mora’s “Survived By” takes a poignant look at grief. Accompanied by a live chorus, it delves into the grieving process, complex emotions and the idea that “it’s OK to grieve.”
Other highlights of the evening will include “I’m Here to Win,” choreographed by student Ellen Nicole Allen. The piece is a satirical look at reality television today. The dance entertains, but also leaves the audience wondering, “What do you win if you are not here to make friends?”
“Pumped Dry, Hollowed Out, Used Up” by student Shane Davis is inspired by movement segments from the 1927 German-expressionist film “Metropolis” and the book by the same name. The choreography explores the movement of machines, cogs and turns and hydraulics.
Visiting associate professor of dance Kori Wakamatsu’s “Style Study” is a fusion of hip-hop and modern dance. It focuses on the similarities of the two genres and suggests that they share many characteristics.
Artistic director Pam Musil’s “Good Blues” is a playful, quirky tribute to the infectious Dixieland sounds of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. With its “quickie, tricky feet” and comical juxtapositions, it is sure to produce a few smiles and perhaps even a few belly laughs
For more information about the “dancEnsemble” concert, contact Pam Musil at (801) 422-4873 or pam_musil@byu.edu.
Writer: Philip Volmar
