Spring Break
Dancers perform challenging works
2007 Spring Concert
Nicole English
Issue date: 4/23/07 Section: Culture
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"The performances were amazing … the kids were really on their legs … everything really came together," dance major Christopher Page, sophomore, said about his peers.
The concert opened with "Unplugged," an unconventional, fast-paced modern ballet piece choreographed by Paula Weber, with music by Kenji Bunch. Dressed in jazzy short skirts and shorts, dancers performed angular movements to driving music, pushing the envelope of what most people picture as ballet.
Next up was a politically-themed suite choreographed by Sabrina Madison-Cannon to rock and blues standards: Edwin Starr's "War," "Tryin' Times" and Jimi Hendrix's "Fire." The cast was relatively large at 20 dancers, because the faculty wanted to include as many dancers as possible so they have performance experience.
"The students work very hard … and they deserve an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned," said Madison-Cannon. "It also gives them the opportunity to gain more stage experience, which ultimately makes them better, more seasoned dancers when they graduate."
The Kansas City Ballet's own ballet master, James Jordan, choreographed a moving piece, "Absentia," with original music by William J. Lackey. The musicians played live on stage as the six ballet dancers performed around them. This original piece was dedicated to the memory of Jordan's friend and mentor, Todd Bolender, who had recruited Jordan for the Kansas City Ballet. To Jordan, the piece represented the loss of Bolender, and the absence of his presence and influence.
"The project has been a wonderful process," said Jordan. "When I met the composer at a Young Audiences fundraiser last May, we hit it off, and we collaborated over the summer .... then we worked with the dancers weekly since mid-January. I am very pleased with how it turned out."
The last piece in the first half was "29 People," choreographed by assistant professor Jennifer Medina and set to "Exurgency" by Zoe Keating.
"What I ended up with was 29 people, so that's what I called the piece," said Medina. "All 29 dancers are onstage throughout the eight-minute piece."
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