Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor
On May 9, 10 and 11, Western hosted its Spring Dance Concert in Rice Auditorium. Each choreographer, costume designer, lighting designer, professor and dancer brought their all to the concert.
The show opened with a lively number, titled “Not a Tango,” choreographed by Les Watanabe, a professor of dance at Western. The dance was composed of four dancers: two wearing red dresses and two wearing black suits, preening for attention. The dynamics and expressions of each character made the audience laugh throughout the show.
Tim Cowart, the department head of Western’s Department of Theatre and Dance choreographed a meaningful piece, titled “Slump.” The dance engaged the audience right out of the gate with a projector screen depicting the busy, loud streets of a big city. One could observe the pressure of society weighing down on each dancer through their intricate mannerisms. Each was trying to make themselves stand out from the crowd; a futile attempt.
“Hold on…,” choreographed by graduating senior Alia Takashima, was a spiritual, grounding piece memorializing community and friendship. The dance featured incredible formations such as using the dancers’ arms to look like tree branches in their green and brown costumes and holding each other up in lifts.
A “Hunger Games” themed piece, titled “MEMENTO MORI,” choreographed by Charlotte Hreha, was captivating and intense. The iconic whistle that sounded before the music even kicked in gave the audience a hint as to what was to come. The music also utilized the line “enjoy the show” from the arena in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” An ear-piercing scream at the end of the performance left everyone speechless.
“Wabash 64130,” choreographed by Winston Dynamite Brown, was a nostalgic performance based on Brown’s mother, siblings and hometown, Kansas City. The dancers lined up and posed for a “family photo” partway through the dance, illustrating each family member and their unique personalities.
After the intermission, “Melt,” choreographed by Valerie Bergman and Darryl Thomas, immersed the audience in an ever-shifting night sky, then an ocean and finally, a forest. A featured dancer donned a pair of pointe shoes, weaving between the other dancers. The choreographers stated that the dance was an “…urgent cry to protect our climate and an homage to the beauty and wonder of our natural habitat.”
As a tribute to their grandmother, Manda Oliver choreographed “Annee des Marguerites,” which translates to “Year of the Daisies.” The dance utilized flower props as a symbol of healing, along with beautiful green and purple costumes. Every dancer lifted each other up and made sure nobody was left behind.
“CYCLICAL,” choreographed by senior Madison Malveaux, began with no music, only the carefully composed rhythm of stomping feet. The piece had the perfect combination of chaos and order and conveyed how the two interacted with each other.
Before the last dance, it was revealed that Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner, a beloved dance professor, will be leaving Western after 14 years. “Las Caras Lindas” featured eight dancers in bright, traditional dresses sitting around a table. Gutierrez-Garner said, “Thank you for sitting at the table of my pedagogy.” It’s safe to say that Gutierrez-Garner left her mark on all of Western.
Every single dance was unique and stood out from one another. The crowd could never guess what was coming next and was entertained for the full two hours of the show. Thank you, Western Department of Theatre and Dance, for your incredible effort and continuous talent.
10/10.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
