A Leap, a Riddle, and a Song

What had a black and white zebra, bits of comedy and hope, and a group of swingers? No, it’s not a new Broadway production. It was the Faculty Dance Concert, held Friday, September 10 in Silver Cultural Arts Center. In a diverse display of the talent there is to learn from, the program was at times interesting, moving, comic, and fun. Some dances portrayed a sense of solitude, pain, or introspect, such as “And the Living Is…,” “I’ve Seen,” “Integrations,” and “Isolations.” Others were playful, cunning, or comical, such as “Zebra,” “Fever,” and “In the Swing of Things.” The faculty of the Plymouth State University dance department was accompanied by PSU dance alumni and other guest dancers. According to the program, the backgrounds of the dancers’ styles include Latin, African, hip-hop, street dance, jazztap, vaudeville, swing, Broadway, contemporary, ballroom, and ballet. Many are now teaching at colleges or studios, and a few are still studying dance. A solo piece, “Zebra” started off the night with a graceful, noble, and playful display of a zebra. The guitar and bongo drums in the music transported the audience far away to a hot, brown, African savanna. Through precise, clean movements, Karen Amirault brought us through the daily life of a zebra – grazing, avoiding predators, frolicking, and resting. “The Legend,” choreographed by PSU’s Joan Wiegers, used the whole stage to create visually interesting poses that required strength and balance from the dancers. The magic of legend seemed to come to life through the dancers’ contemporary style of movement before the legend ended just as it began, with the dancers frozen in a group at center stage. “And the Living Is…,” a classic song from Porgy and Bess, was a deeply touching number executed by Nancy Salmon. Through a combination of the overhead spotlight and full-stage lighting, she brought the audience into the emotions of an African American slave. Her movements reflected the lyrics and displayed her vulnerability and thoughts as a slave. Dressed in simple sky-blue shirts and black spandex shorts, Lea Gagnon and Lindsay Guidoboni calmly and cleanly danced to Vanessa Carlton’s “Twilight.” Again, using the combination of overhead spotlight and blue stage lighting, we got a glimpse into the past and present of an individual. Their synchronization was executed flawlessly and their individualized sections of the dance were unique, but still showed unity. Though synchronization was not as precise, “Fives” explored the patterns and combinations of five dancers through leaps and twirls. The music felt upbeat and celebratory. Audience enthusiasm was heard fervently in “Fever.” With some comic violence, Meagan Lewis and Erica Gilbert displayed emotions of two women wanting the same man. Their sassy rivalry, enriched by the use of club-girl costumes, turned deadly in the end as the lyrics proclaimed, “what a lovely way to burn.” “Integrations” used delicate movements and simple, flowing black and white costumes. Harmony between the dancers was continuous as they used all visual levels of the stage. Dancers in “Eat Wheat” mostly used their upper body to slowly form various configurations. One dancer was separate from the others in her unique movements and ultimately exited first, leaving the others in unanimity. The concert continued with “Isolations,” which appeared to explore the emotions of an individual. It was set to an easy-listening beat. Next, the dancers performed more modern dance, displaying how one can “create a world of your own.” Their leg work while lying on the stage added variety to the previous contemporary dances. Finally, “In the Swing of Things,” the number most widely appreciated by the audience, gave the feel of a fifties teenage dance party. The women dressed in frilly, colored skirts treated the audience to the popular jive of West Coast Swing mixed with the Lindy Hop. The variety of this annual concert was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. Some numbers required thought to decipher the meaning of the dance, while others were simply entertaining to watch. Running almost exactly one hour, the concert was the perfect length to, as the lyrics of the last performance sang, give the audience “a very good time” indeed.