The perennially popular spring dance concert by HSU students and faculty opens this year on April 12 in the Van Duzer Theatre. Some 50 dancers will participate in a dozen original dance pieces collected under the title of "Suffusion."
Students involved describe it as "a medley of light, sound and gesture in a dance performance inspired by the creative expressions of lighting, scenic and costume designers as well as choreographers and dancers. It's contemporary, exciting and colorful."
They promise "an electric dance concert that will charge your senses--comprised of dances from the heart, with personal messages for contemporary life."
The concert is the culmination of the school year, and involves student collaboration beyond the dances themselves. Through a class in production taught by HSU Professor Jim McHugh, they are involved in all phases of concert organization.
According to Assistant Professor of Dance Sharon Butcher, this is part of an ongoing process over several years. "Now we've come so far that our older students are teaching the younger ones about the different responsibilities, how to get the rehearsals organized, all the production details-- everything that needs to be done to get the show ready," she said.
She also stresses the degree of participation on stage. "Unlike most dance programs, we really try to get all of our dance majors on stage right away," Butcher said. "We really believe that the experience of performing or being part of a production is a huge part of how students grow. They are doing what they love, so why wait? We embrace students at all levels, even freshmen, and whats really amazing is how well it turns out."
As usual, there is a silent auction on the last Saturday (April 21) to help support such dance related programs as bringing guest artists to campus and helping to send students to the American College Dance Festival every year. "There they are exposed to all kinds of teaching and dance styles, and other dancers from across the country," Butcher said. "To me it's one of the most important things we do here."
Student-choreographed dances in SUFFUSION include Sarah Carltons exploration of aboriginal themes inspired by her six months in Australia ("Walkabout") Maria Meyer's meditation on simple acts of survival ("The Breath Transcendent"), Erin Reed's response to the death of a loved one ("Grieving, Sharing, Living"), Ali Robert's sultry celebration of Parisian nights ("Streets of France") and Carly Boland's examination of power and conformity ("Stricken"), with music by HSU Music Department teacher Brian Post.
There are also faculty contributions. Jandy Bergman and Sharon Butcher perform an excerpt from their fall show, "Journeys Before Waking," and Erin Fernandez choreographed "Saraswati," named for a Hindu goddess of water, unity, art, and music. Linda Maxwell takes a humorous look at the current obsession with the iPod ("I hangin.")
Other dances include "Bodies in Order" by Tricia Leister, "Engaging the Source" by Janelle Mitnick, "Learning to sit with ambiguity" by Kevin Dockery and "Inspiral" by Lela Annotto-Pemberton. Music runs the gamut, from classical and modern to jazz, contemporary pop and World Music.
One dance contains nudity. "Kevin Dockery begins 'Learning to sit with ambiguity' clothed, and by the end he's naked," said Sharon Butcher. "The idea of removing his clothing is a metaphor for the concept of the dance, which is about a person's struggle to become more honest with himself. To me, he's dealing with this concept very artfully, and we feel it is really important for Kevin to be able to make this choice."
"But we want everyone to come to our show, and everyone who comes to be comfortable. There are pauses between the dances, and audience members are free to leave the theatre before this dance and return afterwards."
SUFFUSION is on stage at 7:30 PM Thursday through Saturday, April 12-14, and 19-21 in the Van Duzer Theatre on the HSU campus. Silent auction on Saturday the 21st . Tickets $10 general, $8 seniors/students, limited seating free to HSU students, from Ticket Office (826-3928.) One dance contains nudity. A production of the HSU Department of Theatre, Film & Dance. Information and photos: http://suffusionhsu.blogspot.com/.