CSULB
graduate dancers perform on campus
By Shawna Abbott
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Cal State Long Beach, the College of the Arts and the department of dance presented, “The
Spaces Between,” Friday at the Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater.
The all modern concert consisted entirely of new works by graduate students.
Nina Martin, the guest choreographer, ended the concert with an original piece
that was not only thought provoking but defined America’s consumer society.
Michelle Pritchard, an instructor at CSULB choreographed the first piece in the
show, “Solo/ Excursion into Philosophy.” The piece was created around
four wooden chairs and captured on video by Pritchard, and Anne Verschooor. Pictures
of nature and people at peace and relaxation were on the
screen; the dancers’ movements
were the opposite—quick, sharp and controlled. The contradiction of the
video and the dancers’ movements made this piece intriguing. The deeper
meaning of the piece wasn’t clear, but it was captivating.
Dwayne Worthington’s “Momentous Vulnerability” exposed the
audience to all of the dancers’ body. Only black briefs and a sports bra
prevented the dancers from being completely naked to the audience. The lighting
of this piece let the audience see every muscle move and contract. Worthington
and Yumi Matsuzaki used each others’ bodies as a foundation to create human
images of strength and vulnerability. The shapes their two bodies captured the
seduction in the music. This piece was brilliant, but short. It seemed unfinished,
and lacking a resonating substance.
“
Touch, No Touch” captured a lovers’ quarrel between two male dancers,
Louie Cornejo and Jacinto N. Delgado-Guizars. The audience could feel
the dancers’ longing for the touch of the other and their second thoughts
after receiving that touch. The dynamics of the choreography kept the emotion
of the following piece, which was much more emotional than physical. There was
more acting in this piece. It was enjoyable and awkward at the same time. It
made the viewer feel as if they were intruding.
Nina Martin was the guest choreographer for “The Spaces Between.” Martin
has choreographed around the world and is a founding member of Channel Z in New
York and Lower Left in San Diego. Martin’s post-modern choreography is
edgy and proactive. Martin’s piece “Accumulation #1” pressed
on the issue of consumerism in America.
Martin not only used movement to express her views on the pressures to shop,
buy and go into debt, she also used film and text. Her witty satire on brand
loyalty as a consumer, how to shop for friends and how to shop for a lover at
church, while images of grocery store aisles filled with many types of cereal
boxes and toothbrushes stunned the audience as they realized how much pressure
there is to do these things.
This piece was amazing. The dancing was controlled and original. The motif of
the piece was shopping bags and Martin’s creativity was exposed while she
made the bags into a shirt, bouquet
and lifeline. “Accumulation #1” was an original and refreshing piece.
Martin exceeded all expectations.
“
The Spaces Between” was a thought-provoking concert. The different dimension
of all the pieces kept it flowing and interesting. All the choreographers came
from different backgrounds. Worthington’s piece lacked the experience and
thought Martin’s piece had, which made the concert feel like it evolved
as the concert came to an end.
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