Ephemeral/Indelible: A Concert in Motion

At UCSB’s Hatlen Theatre, Saturday, April
15.

Reviewed by Felicia M. Tomasko

The most immediate form of validation for a performance is
applause. And the applause, cheers, and general support that was in
full force at Ephemeral/Indelible were well-deserved. The
evening consisted of five works: Four were developed by graduating
student choreographers, while the fifth was a highly anticipated
restaging of José Limón’s suite from Psalm. The varied program was
choreographically strong and beautifully danced.

“Latent Fervency,” choreographed by Gina Schmidt, was aptly
named as the quartet of dancers (Amanda Hoffman, Kim Isbell, Sasha
Nelson, and Jackie Speas) were smoldering in their explosiveness.
The fervent pace, driven by an original score by masters student
Timothy Beutler, was maintained throughout the piece.

Cherise Richards’s “Inward Pilgrimage” was reminiscent of Alvin
Ailey’s “Revelations” in its spiritual tone and composition. The
seven dancers painted concentric circles on the floor with masking
tape in front of an altar, and then evoked spirituality through
compelling unison dance and a moving solo by dancer Chelsea
Retzloff. The pilgrimage closed with exuberance, as the dancers
grooved while the curtain descended.

“Touch” was a duet choreographed by Blake Hennessy-York, and
lyrically danced by Victor Fung and Sarah Pon. Languid in tone and
moving with a sense of the music, their bodies created the sound
they danced to; the two were partnered gorgeously.

The evening’s final student composition was Nicole Helton’s
“Within Layers.” It uncovered multidimensional uses of space as the
dancers undulated, rolled, tumbled, and soared. They danced beneath
two angled mirrors that caught pieces of their movement, creating a
visual play between the layers. The piece’s final image, Blake
Hennessy-York holding Jackie Speas aloft after a duet, was striking
in its simplicity.

Psalm was a triumph. Professor Emeritus Alice
Condodina, former principal dancer with the Limón Dance Company,
danced this work in its 1967 premiere season, and she has restaged
the original choreography for the student company. The 14 dancers
were glorious, and could have been the original company themselves.
The mood of the piece, although it pictured the angst of suffering,
also displayed the power and joy of hope. Soloist Marcos Duran, as
the Burden Bearer, aptly portrayed this through his strong use of
gesture. Soloist Nicole Helton was expressive in her strong lines.
Although Psalm’s choreography is rooted in the sensibility of the
1960s, its message and visual impact remain true. A joy to behold,
it was a fitting end to an inspiring evening of dance.

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