Student innovation paves way for dance concert

The dance and choreography department’s
very first student concert,
“Natural Patterns,” drew flocks of dance
aficionados to the Grace Street Theater
this weekend to observe its stunning
achievement, featuring work created,
curated and performed by VCU dance
majors.

Consisting of eight pieces, the concert
featured some truly remarkable choreography,
expression and improvisation.

“Improvisation for Four” was set to
different pieces of music every night to
keep the spontaneity alive. Burr Johnson,
Katie Dean, Hannah C. Frisch and Tony
E. Colden Jr. each lent their own ideas
to the movements, which blossomed
thoughtfully. Interesting pairings and
plenty of combined lifting were prominent
while Sufjan Stevens drove the beat
through the house speakers.

Freshman Jaclyn M. Rea choreographed
her own solo, “Changing
Spaces,” which came off majestically.
Though aesthetically pleasing, the curtness
of the piece and the lack of
development in the phrasing reflected
the choreographer’s age.

Rea’s technical ability, however, was
a testament to the caliber of movement
expected from members of the
program.

Burr Johnson’s “Mapping Distance”
featured six dancers, including Rea, and
matching chairs. The piece involved
more walking than anything else.
Obviously influenced by Johnson’s
high-school marching-band days, the
dancers’ positions on stage took on
interestingly creative shapes, though
the piece lacked flare.

“Perfect Attendance” was Kevin
Jones’ lengthy submission. Charli Brissey
and Johnson played the part of comrades
who shared a deep understanding of
one another. Set to a slow Chinese tune
called “Silk Road” by Shen Don, the
caring interactions between the dancers
were pleasant and thoughtful. Jones’ use
of negative space was superb, though
– at times – the choreography seemed
simply to take up time.

“Wayward Bond” was performed
and choreographed by Felix Cruz and
Melodie Fais. The piece lingered in
my mind long after the show ended
because of the effective lighting design
and gorgeous positioning. Cruz’s
technique was pristine as always and
Fais’ impressed as well. Cruz and Fais’
connection was profound, even though
the piece was a bit predictable in one
or two instances.

Strong choreography and powerful
expressionism carried the works of
Casey Royer, Ami Dowden-Fant and
Brissey.

Royer’s “Screws Turn Loose” conveyed
the idea of rigorous demands
corroding a sane mind. Set to the
rhythmically frantic, yet melodically
minimal music of Aphex Twin, Royer’s
three dancers – Ashley Valo, Jessi White
and Brissey – dutifully paced around
the stage, eventually collapsing in their
chairs from stress.

Dowden-Fant’s inspirational duet,
“etches of herskin,” brought out the
best in dancers Danielle Currica and
Kimberly Palmer. The painfully sultry
music of Ethyl and Currica’s dominating
approach propelled the dark mood of
the piece.

According to Currica, the piece is
one of two works being submitted to
the American College Dance Festival
Association’s Mid-Atlantic Conference
at Goucher College in Baltimore, Md.,
March 12-15.

Brissey stole the show with three captivating
performances that culminated
with the final piece of the night-Brissey’
“Subject,” a self-performed and -choreographed
solo. The plucky woman
displayed excellent extensions and
limberness while taking on various
identities throughout the work-galloping,
sneezing and rolling her way into
audience members’ hearts.

In the concert’s final moments,
Brissey shouted, “Don’t move! That’s
perfect!” while a girl snapped a picture
of the audience with her disposable
camera from the stage. Brissey’s arguably
intended for the message of the work to
be about the audience’s reaction-the
truest reaction.