Dancers Produce Creative Routines

Most final projects and final exams at Trinity College require the student to write lengthy papers or take multiple-hour tests. However, the final assignment for students in Professor Lesley Farlow's course "Making Dances" showed their knowledge in a more creative and original manner. The students were asked to choreograph two separate dances. The first was a solo: the student being tested had to create a dance based on the talents and techniques of another dancer. This challenged both of the involved artists to incorporate the other's style and ideas into one fluid piece.The second part of the assignment was more specific: the choreographer had to produce a duet or trio. The music was chosen for them and they had to include some sort of prop, which varied from a deck of cards, sleeping bags, cell phones, and a piano bench. Also, the dance had to have a section of partnering (two people dancing together with one supporting or at least touching the other) and a score (a set of instructions or guidelines that were different for each piece). The final result was a showcase of eleven final projects aptly titled "Ridiculously Good Dances."

As a whole, the performance had a very casual feel. The audience sat on purple cushions on the floor of Seabury 47 while the dancers and choreographers sat on the side, squished in one corner. Farlow multitasked by operating the lights and music while keeping her toddler entertained. Before each dance, the dancers would emerge from the audience and at the end, their classmates, and biggest fans, cheered and whistled for them.

The first performance was "In The Works," choreographed by Meredith DeJesus '06 and performed by DeJesus and Stefanie Pagano-Kor '06. This dancing duo has made several stage appearances together and continue to work wonderfully as a team. The piece began like a rehearsal, the two rehearsing steps and discussing changes. Soon, smooth jazzy music by Paris Combo began. DeJesus, as always, is the stronger dancer in the pair while Pagano-Kor contrasts with her delicate fluidity in movements and flexibility.

"Queen of Spades," choreographed by Jill Hockett '07 and performed by Melissa Matthews '07, seemed more like an acting showcase than a dance performance. Matthews was very theatrical in her seductive eye contact and emotional expressions, and often seemed playful, stressed, panicked and confused. The piece had a few technical difficulties initially, but Matthews quickly fixed the problem in an impressively professional manner.

One of the most talented dancers of the evening was Jessica Piervicenti '07 who performed in DeJesus's "Inside Out." Piervicenti was incredibly light on her feet and had great flexibility. The dance was very rhythmical and incorporated many long leg brushes and wavy arm motions.

"Dependence," choreographed by Alyssa Shuman '06 and performed by Ariana Davis '09 and Danielle Rowan '08, was undoubtedly a darker dance. The two performers began back to back on a piano bench. The lighting was dim and the music was French rap. At times, the dancers danced on opposite sides of the room, which made it extremely difficult for the audience to watch both. However, when they did dance together their lines and movements were delicate and clean.

The most original dance of the evening was "On the Verge," choreographed by Piervicenti and danced by DeJesus. The background music was a beautiful classical duet of piano and violin by Henri Wieniawski. The movements were quick and precise, which blended well with the eloquent score. DeJesus performed a variety of turns and jumps that are rarely seen in dance, and the choreography and the performance were unique and wonderful.

"Monday," choreographed by Sarah Spiegel '07 and danced by Jillian Langer '08 was also a very unique dance. Langer performed in regular street clothes. The dance revolved around an uncontrollable twitch in the dancer's right hand. The manic music shifted from chaotic to screeching and from tango to classical strings. It cleverly ended with Langer forcing the hand into a pocket, thus solving the twitch problem.

Spiegel also choreographed "Three is a ..," which she performed in with Laura King '06 and Hockett. It was a fun dance showing the jealousy between friends at a slumber party. There were multiple solos, duets and trios that exhibited each performer's dance talents.

"Blues in the Night," choreographed by Shuman and performed by Rowan, was last performed at Trinity in the spring dance concert, "Kinetic Crossing." The jazzy and seductive dance was executed just as well as in the earlier performance and the dance quality was still excellent; however, Rowan was not clad in the same sexy maid's outfit, which had added to the appeal of its first showing.

In Hockett's "3 A.M.," the two performers, King and Spiegel paced around the studio as if they were walking on a lonely street at 3 a.m. The movements were sharp and precise and blended excellently with the steady, sultry beat of the jazzy saxophone accompaniment.

"Where Did You Get Those Pants?" was a structured improvisation created and performed by DeJesus, Farlow, Hockett, Piervicenti, Shuman, and Spiegel. It was not as interesting as many of the other improvisational dances because it seemed very random and did not fit with the overall atmosphere of the show. Throughout the performance, the dancers were anxious, which was part of their dance, but it was never clear what they were so nervous about. The piece was more of a demonstration of walking and patterns than typical dance movements.

The finale of the show was titled "If." It was choreographed by Piervicenti and was performed by Piervicenti, DeJesus, and Tyler Rhoten '06, who was, without question, the star of the entire show. He sexily shook his hips, performed impressive lifts, and brought humor to an otherwise very serious showcase. The two female dancers fought over Rhoten's attention, which only added to the overall hilarity of the finale. This was the most memorable and enjoyable piece, which appropriately received an enormous applause.

In its entirety "Ridiculously Good Dances" was a success. The student choreographers and performers showed just how much talent there is in Trinity's Theater and Dance department. Bravo!