April 2010: MOTION COLLAGE Dance Concert

Original dances in modern, jazz and ballet styles plus traditional dances from the Yucatan by HSU students and faculty for one weekend only: Thursday through Saturday April 15-17 at 7:30 pm and Sunday April 18 at 2 pm in the Van Duzer Theatre on HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $10, $8 children, students and seniors, with a limited number of free seats for HSU students at each performance, from the HSU Box Office (826-3928) or at the door. Directed by Linda Maxwell, and presented by the HSU Department of Theatre, Film & Dance.

Photo:Ian Radloff and Arianna Chapman in Linda Maxwell's "Desir Deplace." All photos by HSU Graphic Services. Click photo to enlarge.

Media: Humboldt State Now, Arcata Eye.

MOTION COLLAGE: April 15-18

photo: back row:John Trautwein and Omar Garcia; front:Anna Rivera and Wendy Gonzalez in "Yucatan" by Jeff O'Connor and Jackie Silva.

Emotions dancing inside the brain, healing from within and from a decent health care system, a spy movie jazz spoof, traditional dances from the Yucatan, and a water ballet on dry land-- these are just some elements of the HSU Motion Collage dance concert, presented for one weekend only in the Van Duzer Theatre beginning April 15.

“It’s a collage created by eleven different choreographers,” explained director Linda Maxwell, “with different ways of working, different cultural roots and different styles of dance.”

Most of the choreographers are HSU students, from both the dance program within the Theatre, Film and Dance department, and from the Interdisciplinary Dance Studies seminar, which stresses partnerships with musicians and other artists. That’s why the concert will also include an opera singer and several large Chinese drums.

Photo:Suzy Sciancalepore, Kara Ajetunmobi and Kelly Gordon in "Inahan" by Jessica Manuel.

The drums accompany “Inahan,” (“Mother”) by student Jessica O. Manuel, whose choreography for HSU’s concert last spring was recently presented at the American College Dance Festival in Arizona.

The opera singer is David Powell, an HSU grad who studied at the Boston Conservatory of Performing Arts. He sings for Linda Maxwell’s dance, “Desir Deplace,” which expresses themes of love, loss and moving on.

The partnership of student Jackie Silva and HSU faculty advisor for folklorico dance Jeff O’Connor brings traditional dances of the Yucatan region of Mexico to the Van Duzer stage, including a “jarana” in which dancers on small platforms balance trays of bottles and dishes on their heads. “These dances are very intense, and a lot of fun to watch,” Maxwell said.

Bathing beauties in a comic water ballet make a “Splash” as choreographed by Dance faculty member Erin Fernandez.

A unique feature of the concert is a spoof of spy movies (“Beats Me”) set to music by Henry Mancini, choreographed as a group project, and presented in three parts scattered throughout the event.

photo: Carrie Walpole in Julia Giardino's "Cortex Kaleidoscope."

Student choreographers explore themes such as the mental swirl of emotion (“Cortex Kaleidoscope” by Julia Giardino), cultural ideas of beauty (“The Little Birds Call This Beauty” by Xelha Weisman), the attraction of opposites (“Synergy2” by John Trautwein), inner healing (“In Vision” by Natasha Harrell) and the debate over health care (“The Haves and the Have Nots” by Leanne Nettles.)

Some 55 dancers from HSU and the local community will participate. The student choreographers are: Julia Giardino, Natasha Harrell, Jessica Manuel, Leanne Sutton Nettles, Suzy Sciancalepore, Jackie Silva, John Trautwein and Xelha Weisman. Faculty choreographers are Erin Fernandez, Linda Maxwell and Jeff O’Connor.

MOTION COLLAGE: The Dances

photo: Kendra Staton and Jessica Manuel in Xelha Weisman's "The Little Birds Call This Beauty."

The Little Birds Call This Beauty
Choreographer: Xelha Jovita Weisman
Music: Alec Wiggin
The Dancers: Jennifer Clark, Kelly Gordon, Jessica Manual, Daniele Peters, Kendra Staton, Hayley Winkleblack.
Musician: Ozzy Ricardez

Exploring cultural definitions of beauty and different ideas of what is beautiful, with a mixture of ballet and modern movements.

Xelha Jovita Weisman is an HSU senior in Interdisciplinary Dance Studies, approaching dance as sacred tradition through Religious Studies.

Splash
Choreographer: Erin Fernandez
Music: Vivaldi
Dancers: Lauren Amy, Nikole Bergener-Kellams, Lindsay Bond, Jacqueline Bookstein, Erika Burg, Julia Giardino,Catey Hager, Natasha Harrell, Hannah Lautze, Gina Lee, Kendall Lewis, Sophia Mackell, Keili Simmons Marble, Whitney Meier, Ozzy Ricardez, Kendra Staton, Michelle Voorhees,Xelha Jovita Weisman, Hayley Winkleback, Jasmine Wolfe.

Prepare to laugh out loud with a water ballet on dry land—whether it’s synchronized swimming or a play-date at the pool, our bathing beauties are in the comedic deep end.

Erin Fernandez teaches dance at HSU in the Theatre, Film & Dance department, along with running her own Arcata dance school.

photo: Wendy Gonzalez and Omar Garcia, dancers in "Yucatan."

Yucatan
Choreographers: Jeff O’Connor, Jackie Silva
Music: Traditional
Dancers: Elvira Bonaga, Melissa Centeno, Julia Dorso, Amy Duarte, Travis Fortenberry, Omar Garcia, Wendy Gonzalez, , Rolando Navarro Rodriguez, Lauren Peyton, Alan Ramirez, Anna Rivera, Leonora Rivera, Talisa-Marie Torres, Jackie Silva, John Trautwein.

Four dances from the Yucatan in southeast Mexico, the cradle of the culture that once dominated all of Central America. These dances preserve the elegant dignity of early Spanish dance, but with an exotic flavor, such as arm movements that reflect their origins in worship of the sun. With quick, intense movement, one up-tempo “jarana” requires dancers to balance a tray on their heads.

Jeff O’Connor teaches folklorico dance at HSU, among other subjects. Jackie Silva is an HSU student dancer.

She’s Been Listening
Choreographer: Suzy Sciancalepore
Music: Derek Smith
Dancers: Arianna Chapman, Julia Giardino, Lyndsey Lascheck, Jessica Munger, Bonnie Schlotfeldt, Jasmine Wolfe.

A modern dance commentary on feeling alone in a crowd, and how such feelings of isolation and separation affect us.

Suzy Sciancalepore is a dance major at HSU, completing her junior year.

Photo: Keili Marble Simmons and Leanne Nettles in "Beats Me...Again."

Beats Me
Choreographed and Performed by: Gina Lee, Kate Monroe, Jennifer Moore, Jessica Munger, Leanne Sutton Nettles .

A unique element of this dance concert: three dances on a comic theme—a spoof of spy movies and related entertainments to the signature jazz of Henry Mancini—each choreographed by the dancers in that particular dance, and performed at different times throughout the concert.

Beats Me...Again
Choreographed and Performed by: Ivan Castillo, Natasha Harrell, Christiana Lawhorn, Keili Simmons Marble, Leanne Nettles.

Beats Me...One More Time
Choreographed and Performed by: Gina Lee, Jennifer Moore, Keili Simmons Marble, Leanne Nettles, Danielle Van de Wetering.

photo: Gina Lee, Catey Hager and Aren Rye in John Trautwein's "Synergy2"

Synergy2
Choreographer: John Trautwein
Music: Ganga Giri
Dancers: Catey Hager, Gina Lee, Aren Rye.

Two female dancers and one male dancer enact opposite forces coming together to participate and inspire.

John Trautwein is a senior studying Dance as Language and Culture at HSU.

The Haves and Have Nots
Choreographer: Leanne Nettles
Music: compilation
Dancers: Kara Ajetunmobi, Erika Burg, Arianna Chapman, Stephanie Corah, Kendall Lewis, Jessica Manuel, Jennifer Moore, Brandy Rose, Kendra Staton, Jasmine Wolfe.

A powerful, emotional dance influenced by this year’s health care debate, following four individuals with different medical needs, and the responses of society.

Leanne Nettles is a double major in Interdisciplinary Dance Studies and Psychology at HSU.

Ian Radloff and Arianna Chapman rehearse Linda Maxwell's "Desir Deplace."

Desir Deplace
Choreographer: Linda Maxwell
Music: Faure
Dancers: Arianna Chapman, Stephanie Corah, Hannah Farrell, Kelly Gordon, Hannah Lautze, Jessica Manuel, Keili Simmons Marble, Ian Radloff, Suzy Sciancalepore, Carrie Walpole.
Vocalist: David Powell

A dance exploring the themes of aspiration, love and desire, as well as rejection, acceptance and moving on.

Choreographer Linda Maxwell teaches dance in the Theatre, Film & Dance department at HSU. Her previous experience includes working with civic ballet companies and theatres, as well as several years as John Travolta’s personal dance instructor.

Vocalist David Powell is a graduate of the HSU Music department and the Boston Conservatory of Performing Arts.

In Vision
Choreographer: Natasha Harrell
Music: John Murphy
Dancers: Kara Ajetunmodbi, Natasha Harrell, Kendall Lewis, Carrie Walpole.

A dance exploring the role of inner resources-- of spirit, consciousness and soul-- in confronting life’s difficulties and uncertainties.

Natasha Harrell pursues a theatre major and dance minor in the HSU Department of Theatre, Film & Dance.

photo: Carrie Walpole and Erika Burg in Julia Giardino's "Cortex Kaleidoscope."

Cortex Kaleidoscope
Choreographer: Julia Giardino
Music: Giardino, Hemar, Jara, Quigley
Poem: Briana Contreas
Dancers: Erika Burg, Dion Howard, Jennifer Moore, Jessica Munger, Ian Radloff, Suzy Sciancalepore, Jackie Silva, Carrie Walpole.

A dance about the mind, and the balance of thoughts and emotions necessary in life’s journey, featuring a poem by HSU student Briana Contreas.

Julia Giardino is an Interdisciplinary Dance Studies major and president of the Dance Club at HSU.

Inahan
Choreographer: Jessica Manuel
Musician: Gary Ronne
Dancers: Kara Ajetunmodbi, Kelly Gordon, Suzy Sciancalepore.

With high energy and passionate movement, this dance expresses the strength and dedication of “Inahan,” which is Visayan for “mother.”

Jessica O. Manuel is a senior Interdisciplinary Dance Studies major. Her dance, “Darkness, She Speaks,” performed at last spring’s HSU dance concert (“Between Floor and Flight”), was selected for presentation at the American College Dance Festival 2010 in Tempe, Arizona.

MOTION COLLAGE: Our Production

Director: Linda Maxwell
Lighting Design: David R. White
Sound Design: Glen Nagy
Scenic Design/Technical Director: Jason Mohatt
Stage Manager: Genevieve Angle
Assistant Stage Manager: Sarah Harter
Light Board Operator: Kevin Landesman
Master Electrician: Calder Johnson
Sound Board Operator: Christina Sevilla
Administrative Support: Suzan Logwood, Debra Ryerson
Photography: Kellie J. Brown
Publicity/blog copy & design: Bill Kowinski