2008 Woodie Awards
Department of Dance Travels the World with Passport
Ali Duffy
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Not since 2003 has the UNCG Department of Dance hosted the Passport Dance/Art Gathering. Produced by faculty members Eluza Santos and Robin Gee, the multicultural events took place on Saturday, Sept. 22, in and around the UNCG Dance Theatre. Beginning at 4 p.m. outside the Health and Human Performance Building, demonstrations of capoiera and yoga were interspersed with moments of African music, Mexican visual art displays, and traditional Pakistani and Brazilian food, all free to the public. The evening's capstone was a multicultural dance concert in the Dance Theatre at 8 p.m.
Opening the concert was a Korean Fan Dance performed and choreographed by soloist See Nae Na. Bright pink feathers adorned two large fans that were manipulated by the dancer as she seemed to float across the stage wearing an ornately-designed, long pink and green dress. The movement was precise and well-rehearsed, and the dance was light and airy. See Nae Na also performed Creative Korean Dance, which was bouncier and more joyful. She was delightful to watch, and took care to make eye contact with audience members.
Next, local high school students performed traditional Greek dancing. Attired in long black skirts and white flowing shirts, four women and four men skipped and jumped along the floor, mostly holding hands, and in unison with each other. They formed circles and moved in and out of line patterns in intricate geometric shapes.
Dabkka, a Palestinian dance, was performed by four energetic women dressed in a combination of traditional Middle Eastern headscarves atop jeans and tennis shoes. The costume made the dancing seem quite modern and relatable. The dancing was bright and was performed mostly in a circle. The dancers' movements were quite ornamental, as they presented their scarves, and it was very entertaining, although it seemed as if the dancers all had varying levels of mastery of the movement style.
Fernando Jimenez and Jana Vlachynska performed two Latin ballroom dances: the bachata and the salsa. Although the dancing was lackluster and performance quality was at a minimum, the dances were charming and the partnering work was interesting to watch.
The last piece of the evening was an audience favorite. Choreographed by faculty member Eluza Santos, it was entitled Barbatuques Dances. Full of rhythmic clapping, stomping, and hollering, 17 brightly-costumed dancers filled the space with energy and dynamics. Performance quality was thrilling and the movement was syncopated and fun. Groups of dancers moved on and off stage, and interacted with the audience for an engaging and inspiring finale to the concert.
Because the Dance Theatre has been converted to a theater in the round this semester, the dances could be seen from all angles, giving a completely different perspective to audience members. Passport Dance/Art Gathering successfully merged several dance forms and cultures into one diverse and entertaining evening of art works.
Opening the concert was a Korean Fan Dance performed and choreographed by soloist See Nae Na. Bright pink feathers adorned two large fans that were manipulated by the dancer as she seemed to float across the stage wearing an ornately-designed, long pink and green dress. The movement was precise and well-rehearsed, and the dance was light and airy. See Nae Na also performed Creative Korean Dance, which was bouncier and more joyful. She was delightful to watch, and took care to make eye contact with audience members.
Next, local high school students performed traditional Greek dancing. Attired in long black skirts and white flowing shirts, four women and four men skipped and jumped along the floor, mostly holding hands, and in unison with each other. They formed circles and moved in and out of line patterns in intricate geometric shapes.
Dabkka, a Palestinian dance, was performed by four energetic women dressed in a combination of traditional Middle Eastern headscarves atop jeans and tennis shoes. The costume made the dancing seem quite modern and relatable. The dancing was bright and was performed mostly in a circle. The dancers' movements were quite ornamental, as they presented their scarves, and it was very entertaining, although it seemed as if the dancers all had varying levels of mastery of the movement style.
Fernando Jimenez and Jana Vlachynska performed two Latin ballroom dances: the bachata and the salsa. Although the dancing was lackluster and performance quality was at a minimum, the dances were charming and the partnering work was interesting to watch.
The last piece of the evening was an audience favorite. Choreographed by faculty member Eluza Santos, it was entitled Barbatuques Dances. Full of rhythmic clapping, stomping, and hollering, 17 brightly-costumed dancers filled the space with energy and dynamics. Performance quality was thrilling and the movement was syncopated and fun. Groups of dancers moved on and off stage, and interacted with the audience for an engaging and inspiring finale to the concert.
Because the Dance Theatre has been converted to a theater in the round this semester, the dances could be seen from all angles, giving a completely different perspective to audience members. Passport Dance/Art Gathering successfully merged several dance forms and cultures into one diverse and entertaining evening of art works.
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