It’s that time of year again, time to enjoy one of University of Tampa’s Spring Dance Concert. Put on your dancing shoes and head out to Falk Theatre this weekend, Feb. 21 through Feb. 23. The dances will shock you.
Susan Taylor Lennon, a professor within the Speech, Theatre and Dance Department, has worked hard this semester in order to deliver a show that students and other guests will enjoy.
“I think that there is a slightly more serious edge to some of the work this year,” Lennon said. “I feel that the dancing gets stronger every year. I feel like we continue to strengthen as a community of dancers.”
In fact, this year, some choreographers have stepped out of the ordinary and added some special effects and props to their dances. For instance, choreographer Glynn Owens focused on trepidation and the escape of freedom for his piece. This emotive solo piece stars Patrick Justin. We witness how he slowly breaks free from the straight jacket that binds him, but he is still drawn back to it in the end even though he knows it’s bad for him. Not to mention, Patrick is suspended in the air in the beginning.
“I didn’t necessarily mean to, but the jacket itself became a metaphor,” Owens said. “I think there is something in everyone’s past that they can relate to, whether it’s a habit, addiction or past relationship. Maybe you’ve gotten over it but sometimes it still comes back and haunts you.”
Theatrical elements such as the suspension and red lighting help this dance convey its message, but the focus on the individual is the most impactful element. You can’t help but watch Justin struggle to break free from this bad influence. Owens wanted his piece to be a solo act because he didn’t want to detract from the meaning.
“It was different working with one male performer, but I have worked with both genders,” Owens said. “Although there are boundaries I respect, the important aspect I keep in mind is identifying the performer’s talent and what would work well with them.”
Lennon wants people from all walks of life to come to the Spring Dance Concert and take something away from it or simply enjoy a good show.
“We got a call from the Veterans’ Hospital, and there might be around 20 to 25 veterans here watching this piece,” Lennon said. “I can only think about what they’ll experience when they watch the pieces for themselves.”
Phyllis Gaines’ dance also hit a sensitive yet powerful topic. Her piece incorporates Jamie, a deaf student here at UT and focuses on the death of our culture and how insensitive we have become to others. Not all hope is lost, however.
This hip-hop piece starts off with some American sign language and transcends to busy city noise where everyone is walking around only paying attention to their cell phones. At first, Jamie is excluded from the crowd, but as the dance progresses, they start dancing with her.
“At the auditions, I saw a girl, Jamie, with a hearing aid,” Gaines said. “Because I teach sign language and I have my own company, Sign of Da’ Times, I said ‘Oh my god, what can I do with her?’ This experience has let me believe that what I have in my heart is a passion for deafness and the people who go through it.”
The dance has definitely left a positive understanding on the other dancers who have been rehearsing with Jamie since fall semester.
Primal Fear, choreography created by Susannah LeMarquand, incorporates the art of aerial ballet, an acrobatic performance using fabric hung from the ceiling. This piece portrays the importance of the journeys we undergo in life and questions its authority over us. The piece was thematically beautiful because of its mix of fluidity and unexpectedness. The battle is mimicked in the music and the performers’ actions. They are fighting against fear. The louder the music gets, the more dramatic the action becomes. It’s like watching a Cirque du Soleil performance.
While the pieces done by Owens and LeMarquand feature suspension, they are certainly not the only shocking and strong dances in the show. There are some fabulous ballet and tap numbers as well as pieces that make your heart yearn for love and hate at the same time.
The wide range of dances this year caters to every style of dance and proves that UT once again succeeded at another spectacular production.
“A lot of people come to UT to dance,” Lennon said. “We probably will have a dance major this time next year.”
Owens encourages potential dancers to audition for next year’s performance.
“Just do it. Seriously, there is no better way,” Owens said. “Honestly, the worst thing that could happen is that you’re new and don’t have much experience, and you don’t get selected for a piece. It’s not the end of the world. You have to also keep in mind that it depends on what the choreographer is looking for.”
Well, everyone better dance their way to Falk Theatre this weekend and check out what these dancers and choreographers have been working so hard on. All performances will begin at 8 p.m., but there will be an additional performance on Feb. 23 at 2 p.m.
Xelmarie Medina can be reached at xelmymedina@gmail.com