Falk Theater has a cheerful vibe. Dancers chattered away, helped each other with makeup and costumes and practiced the latest additions to dance routines. This year, Fall Dance Happening routines were even more entertaining and high energy. With many dances inspired by Halloween, Fall Dance Happening promised to deliver all kinds of enchantment and mystery.
Gordon Bonnet, a senior music major, choreographed the first piece of the evening. His dance focused on the journey people go through as young adults in order to find their place in society. With a fusion of classical and techno music (which he composed himself) and bright and playful costumes, Bonnet managed to portray his message quite successfully.
Following Bonnet’s piece was Katie Kutcha’s Nightmares in Twilight Zone, a piece that depicted the déjà vu feeling that comes after a sequence of dreams and/or nightmares. Through adequate lighting techniques, dark uniforms and eerie music, the audience went through time and space o further understand the menacing sensation that nightmares create.
Lindsay Goldaper choreographed the third installment on the show titled To the Ends of The Earth. This lyrical and moving dance was about following a one true love no matter where they go. The dancers’ simple yet symbolic wardrobe carried the underlying message meshed perfectly with the complex message of the piece.
For those Halloween lovers out there, senior Rhiannon Crawford choreographed a piece that woke the dead.
“As a child, I did many theatrical pieces, so I combined that with my favorite holiday [Halloween] and my passion for tap dancing in order to inspire me,” Crawford said.
Crawford, a second-time Dance Happening choreographer, portrayed the dark and riveting side of Halloween with a fast-paced tap dance, bone-chilling zombie makeup and intense zombie-like facial expressions.
“I recycled some costumes I had. My friends and I also went to the thrift store, dripped some fake blood on them and even burned them in the corners,” Crawford said.
After Crawford’s piece, Laura Green’s dancers performed Internal Demise. It focused on the allurement humans feel toward the dark things in life. Through attention to detail in costuming with black corsets and sensual stockings, they helped portray how fun and pleasurable the dark could be.
Two enchantresses conjured a monster in senior Amanda Sieradzki’s piece. Dissonance portrayed how both good and evil can help shape us as a whole. The fairies wore white and gold to symbolize “good” while dancers Emily Peduto and Elisha Sayed wore black to symbolize evil. Dancer Scout Duquette danced in only one toe shoe to emphasize her halfling life, born as half good and half evil.
Sophomore Hailey Hendrickson, one of the fairies, said, “The dances this year were more Halloween themed which makes them even more fun.”
Following this tale was Shaniqua Rogers’s piece titled A Mile in Her Shoes. Inspired by military wives and the hardships they go through as their family members are away at war, the dancers began with a slow introduction that gradually built up. The frustration and sadness was so perfectly expressed on the dancers’ faces.
Liz Fratellone’s dance, which told the story of a typical housewife in the 50s and 60s, finalized the dances in Falk Theater. Female dancers wore red aprons and white pearl necklaces that “choked” them from liberty while the male dancer wore a suit and smoked a cigar. How much can a housewife take before they snap?
The audience then scurried to the Verandah at Plant Hall for the second half of the performance. It is tradition for the second half of Dance Happening to be performed here. The show commenced with Angelique Ramirez’s piece which was inspired by her trip to Cuba and her culture. Based in 1959, this piece included colorful costumes, a lot of hip shaking action and the typical Don Juan surrounded by beautiful ladies.
Following the cultural theme, Natalie Osayende choreographed her piece inspired by Beni, Nigeria, the land of color and earth defying movement. Dancers performed to traditional African drum beats and presented a style of dance that was unique to many of the other dances.
UT alumni Amy Kerr’s glamorous piece, Underneath the City Lights, was sexy, fun and upbeat. It had a Broadway jazz feel to it that left audience members humming Christina Aguilera after the show ended.
First time choreographer Lauren Abro choreographed Me Against the Music. One group of dancers portrayed Madonna with suspenders and top hats. The other group portrayed Britney Spears with vests and ties. These two diva groups competed for attention by enticing the audience with some skillful dancing.
Michelle De La Lastra’s piece, Where Have you Been, focused on finding true love. Although, it wasn’t the typical fairy tale love story. It inferred that sultriness is a better route to finding true love with its saucy routine.
In contrast, Ashley Sooklal’s piece embodied the desire of love rather than lust. After the intense dances that preceded this piece, the audience got a chance to mellow down and enjoy a more laidback fusion of hip hop, lyrical and jazz.
Last but not least, senior Jordan Maltese ended Fall Dance Happening with a bang. This was Maltese’s third time choreographing. A group of nerds cannot resist the urge dance whenever music comes on. They all sat in class then instantly busted out into some detailed hip hop choreography the moment the music began to play.
Crawford encouraged students to try out for future Dance Happenings.
“There is something out there for everyone. Us choreographers are always looking for something different, something new, something that you couldn’t see in yourself,” Crawford said.
Just don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes and your passion to move.
Xelmarie Medina can be reached at xelmymedina@gmail.com.