UCO KALIEDOSCOPE DANCERS AND
HIGH SCHOOL DANCE FESTIVAL
PROVIDE ESSENTIALS FOR
THE HEART AND SOUL
Performer and collaborator with fellow composer Francis Poulenc, UCO pianist David Forbat plays to choreographer Robyn Pasternack's contemporary ballet "Sincerely Beatrice." Photo provided.
By Nancy Condit
Don Betz, president of the University of Central Oklahoma, led off the Kaleidoscope Dance Company Fall Concert with the High School Dance Festival last Saturday night. "The arts are absolutely essential to our heart and our soul," he said from the stage of Mitchell Hall on UCO's campus. The program also included guest artists fiddler Kyle Dillingham, UCO artist in residence, and UCO pianist David Forbat to "Sincerely
Beatrice."
The concert opened with choreographer Tina Kambour's funny and then lyrical modern dance "Se je vous embrasse," to music composed and performed by fiddler Kyle Dillingham, with vocalist Emily Weeks. Dancers in a restaurant gave a new meaning to table hopping as they circled from one table to another, and then walked on chairs and tables to talk to each other. Dillingham's jazzy music even included honkey tonk rhythms, to Weeks' lovely voice.
Dillingham played two solos. He began the first with classical music, improvising to a French song -- UCO's country to be emphasized this year is France, and ending with classical music. In his second solo, he played what must be his version of "The Orange Blossom Special" -- fast, fiery, with incredibly quick and long, anticipatory bowing. Both selections were really well done.
Guest choreographer Chip Abbott's musical theater "Derrierre le Dos" (Behind the Back), to music by Larrons en foire by Raphael Beau from the Micmacs soundtrack, was a polished barefoot '40's style dance of a woman and two men against the background of seven dancers in beige short dresses or pants. The men competed for the woman, while she enticed both of them until she made her choice. The signature move of the dance was the slight mannered lifting of their skirts or pants as a punctuation of events in the musical theater dance.
Three high school dance programs performed with the college company. In order of appearance they were Classen School of Advanced Studies, Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, and Harding Fine Arts Academy. Classen's "Happy Feet:," choreographed by Nancy Trait-Lira and dancers, featured the troupe in bright red leotards half-way down the thighs, white cuffs and slicked back hair to a 20's sounding dance to a contemporary French piece by Vial/Delaporte/Payen/Tilleke, moving as a troupe in funny stylized sophisticated moves as a troupe. McGuinness' "It Sparks a Fire," choreographed by Brandi Gable to music "Blue Cassette" by Friendly Fires, was high energy jazz. Harding's "Terra Firma," choreographed by Karen Voyles to music by Phoenix, was a mid-century style modern dance in long dresses of muted earth tones.
Choreographer Michelle Dexter's meditative "Bushido" with music by Dead Can Dance, opened to a capella chanting, and moved into rousing drumming. The dancers, clad in Chinese style costumes, moved in simple patterns and progressed to more complex ones, moving within the beats of the drums. All of the moves were controlled in spite of a very frenetic piece of music. The piece closed with dancers collapsing one by one into supporting dancers' arms.
For sheer attention getting, choreographer Emily South's "My Lullaby" to music by Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums was one of the standouts, with hip hop jazz dancing zombies. And lots and lots of hair.
Choreographer Hui Cha Poos' energetic "Can Can" to "Always Can Can" by the Joann Strauss Orchestra sounded a lot like Offenbach. The traditional costumes were worn by dancers with legs stretched high, heels held in their hands, ruffled skirts, and kick lines.
Guest choreographer Leah Roman's hip hop jazz "Do It Like This," to music by "I'm in the House," "Do It Like This," "Took the Night," and "She Wants to Move," was full of moves people wish they could do, but don't, including one of the men ending the dance by barking twice at the full auditorium. In the program notes
she is quoted as saying she hopes to share the happiness of dance with as many people as she can.
c. Nancy Condit
HIGH SCHOOL DANCE FESTIVAL
PROVIDE ESSENTIALS FOR
THE HEART AND SOUL
By Nancy Condit
Don Betz, president of the University of Central Oklahoma, led off the Kaleidoscope Dance Company Fall Concert with the High School Dance Festival last Saturday night. "The arts are absolutely essential to our heart and our soul," he said from the stage of Mitchell Hall on UCO's campus. The program also included guest artists fiddler Kyle Dillingham, UCO artist in residence, and UCO pianist David Forbat to "Sincerely
Beatrice."
The concert opened with choreographer Tina Kambour's funny and then lyrical modern dance "Se je vous embrasse," to music composed and performed by fiddler Kyle Dillingham, with vocalist Emily Weeks. Dancers in a restaurant gave a new meaning to table hopping as they circled from one table to another, and then walked on chairs and tables to talk to each other. Dillingham's jazzy music even included honkey tonk rhythms, to Weeks' lovely voice.
Dillingham played two solos. He began the first with classical music, improvising to a French song -- UCO's country to be emphasized this year is France, and ending with classical music. In his second solo, he played what must be his version of "The Orange Blossom Special" -- fast, fiery, with incredibly quick and long, anticipatory bowing. Both selections were really well done.
Guest choreographer Chip Abbott's musical theater "Derrierre le Dos" (Behind the Back), to music by Larrons en foire by Raphael Beau from the Micmacs soundtrack, was a polished barefoot '40's style dance of a woman and two men against the background of seven dancers in beige short dresses or pants. The men competed for the woman, while she enticed both of them until she made her choice. The signature move of the dance was the slight mannered lifting of their skirts or pants as a punctuation of events in the musical theater dance.
Three high school dance programs performed with the college company. In order of appearance they were Classen School of Advanced Studies, Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, and Harding Fine Arts Academy. Classen's "Happy Feet:," choreographed by Nancy Trait-Lira and dancers, featured the troupe in bright red leotards half-way down the thighs, white cuffs and slicked back hair to a 20's sounding dance to a contemporary French piece by Vial/Delaporte/Payen/Tilleke, moving as a troupe in funny stylized sophisticated moves as a troupe. McGuinness' "It Sparks a Fire," choreographed by Brandi Gable to music "Blue Cassette" by Friendly Fires, was high energy jazz. Harding's "Terra Firma," choreographed by Karen Voyles to music by Phoenix, was a mid-century style modern dance in long dresses of muted earth tones.
Choreographer Michelle Dexter's meditative "Bushido" with music by Dead Can Dance, opened to a capella chanting, and moved into rousing drumming. The dancers, clad in Chinese style costumes, moved in simple patterns and progressed to more complex ones, moving within the beats of the drums. All of the moves were controlled in spite of a very frenetic piece of music. The piece closed with dancers collapsing one by one into supporting dancers' arms.
For sheer attention getting, choreographer Emily South's "My Lullaby" to music by Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums was one of the standouts, with hip hop jazz dancing zombies. And lots and lots of hair.
Choreographer Hui Cha Poos' energetic "Can Can" to "Always Can Can" by the Joann Strauss Orchestra sounded a lot like Offenbach. The traditional costumes were worn by dancers with legs stretched high, heels held in their hands, ruffled skirts, and kick lines.
Guest choreographer Leah Roman's hip hop jazz "Do It Like This," to music by "I'm in the House," "Do It Like This," "Took the Night," and "She Wants to Move," was full of moves people wish they could do, but don't, including one of the men ending the dance by barking twice at the full auditorium. In the program notes
she is quoted as saying she hopes to share the happiness of dance with as many people as she can.
c. Nancy Condit
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