Dance concert offers artistic diversity

As one of the dance department's three major spring events, Companydance's spring concert will consist of a diverse showcase of student and faculty choreography and performance.

Along with one guest choreographer, three faculty and eight student choreographers have worked since the beginning of the year on their performances.

Companydance, one of three major dance companies at St. Olaf, chooses modern dance as its genre. They aspire to exhibit pieces that impart artistic meaning through physical movement. With dance and supporting media, the concert will feature subjects such as break-ups, exhaustion and the macabre.

Despite the complexity and nuance of modern dance, faculty and company members urge audiences not to feel intimidated, but to try and relate to the performance. Modern dance does not have an esoteric, singular meaning behind each piece, but invites many interpretations and aims to spark discussion.

"It's not about ‘getting' the work, it's more about going along for the ride and seeing where it will take you," Artist in Residence Anthony Roberts said, who choreographed a piece "Break" for the performance.

Along with Roberts, other faculty members provided original content for Companydance. Associate Professor of Dance Heather Kolpchin produced a samba-inspired piece "Bom divertimento!" that aims to bring the audience to the edge of their seats. Professor Janice Roberts' piece "She Said…" features themes of knowledge, secrets and community while shifting from isolated duets to trios to solos.

A commissioned special guest choreographer, Uri Sands, a professional dancer and choreographer in the Twin Cities, also joins Companydance this year.

Auditioning all dancers and choreographers, Companydance allows a wide range of students to perform in the spring concert. For students who made the cut, the concert calls for high commitment, as many pieces are rehearsed from September to May.

One student duet features Berit Nelson '10 and Brianna Rae Johnson '10 in their piece "Errant Soul." Their dance includes movement symbolic of a ladder where one dancer climbs upon the other who is supporting them.

"I think I'm going to be sad on the last night," said Johnson, of her final Companydance performance before graduation. "But it's also celebration of our four years here."

However, underclassmen choreographers are rising to take the place of their graduating peers, including Emily Broeker '13, Shannon Denzel '12, Siri Smithback '12 and Greg Kraemer '11. Each adds their own unique piece to the concert, such as Broeker's fusion of tap-dancing with a hip-hop soundtrack in "A Shot in the Dark," and Kraemer's exploration of mathematics and interplay between smooth and rigid movement in "Lemma 2.7."

Companydance's spring concert will be performed at 7:30 p.m. from May 6 to 8 in Kelsey Theater.
 

peterjoh@stolaf.edu