Lights, camera, emotion!

The mood was heavy inside and out of the Grace Street Theater Friday night, as the themes of the “Dance on Camera” films reflected the tropical depression. The pieces touched on issues such as murder, suicide, broken families, overcoming obstacles, internal struggles and being trapped.

The show kicked off the VCU Department of Dance’s Fall 2006 season. It consisted of one documentary and six short films from the United States, Spain, Canada, Norway and Australia. “Video dance” combines the art forms dance, film and performance art.

“I’m thrilled that so many came out despite the weather. I hope that people will spread the word about video dance at VCU because of the presence of so many disciplines in the art,” said Martha Curtis, chair of Department of Dance and Choreography.

“Phoenix Dance” chronicled dancer Homer Avila’s battle with cancer that left him with only one leg. Avila saw his loss as merely one more obstacle and continued to dance with as much fluidity, strength and passion as ever. He kept dancing up to the night before he died of cancer in 2004.

The piece “break” used a martial arts theme – complete with wire-work – to illustrate the passion and intensity of a family breaking down. The lighting and special effects were especially striking. However, its many different scenes – a barn, field, kitchen, forest and country road – seemed to cause a lack of cohesion.

Another standout piece was “Waltzing Jessica,” from VCU Dance alumnus Jason Akira Somma. It was a quirky and inventive rooftop look at a couple’s relationship. The two dancers floated just above the roof, clasped in the classic ballroom dance pose. They languidly but sensually explored each other and their own space on couches and chairs.

The most disturbing pieces were “Astragalus” and “The Hunt.” The first is of a scantily dressed, sweaty young woman recalling the “heroin sheik” look while writhing around on a dirty floor. The other piece is of a creepy, sniveling man having some sort of episodic standing seizure before pretending to shoot a bow and arrow.

“Bittersweet” took a violent look at race and gender in the stories of three black women. One kills her lesbian lover, the other kills her husband and the last kills herself. It is a morbid look at death as a glorious alternative to a life of unhappiness. The editing is choppy, and the movement is repetitive and bizarre.

“I love to see people take their experience in motion, apply it to a different medium and go to the limits of what’s possible. Electronic mediums can take things so much further than on stage,” said Melanie Richards, associate dance professor at VCU.

“It’s almost like going inside someone’s head, the way you can bend reality. They’re not conforming to Hollywood expectations; it’s not plastic, manipulative or expert but honest and passionate.”