USF's Spring Dance Concert reveals a dance department that continues to outdo itself in the skill and artistry of its performances.
Undertaking the works of brilliant choreographers like Doug Varone and Talley Beatty is no small challenge, and the dancers and production staff rise to the occasion. The headline dance, Varone's version of Le Sacre du Printemps, is an exceptional achievement.
The first piece, a suite of dances called Come and Get the Beauty of it Hot, was originally choreographed by Talley Beatty, and was re-staged by USF's John Parks and Andre Tyson. Jazz dancing hasn't regularly been featured in USF dance concerts, so this is a great treat and says much about the range of the dancers.
The program starts with The Overture, a street scene in which dancers portray the hustle and bustle of city life against a skyline backdrop. The movement of each dancer is different but complementary, like clockwork. Groups of dancers move across the stage, with smaller clusters or individuals returning to perform a "spotlight" dance, which then segues into the jazzy Toccata, featuring the bebop music of Dizzy Gillespie. This segment — reminiscent of West Side Story — is cool and jazzy, with the corps pulling together to create a unified whole.
Saver is performed to the LaVern Baker song "Saved" — "I used to smoke, drink and dance the hoochie coo" — with tireless energy by Nikita Carter and Tyler Orcutt. They fully capture the spirit of this upbeat rhythm and blues music. Their movements are fittingly sharp, with both dancers projecting the energy of the piece.
In Congo Tango Palace, performed to the music of Miles Davis, chairs descend from the ceiling to give a dance hall feel. The movement surges with life. The piece ends with a bang, with a difficult lift performed by a row of six or so partners in unison — no small feat.
In addition to the skill of the featured soloists, the corps demonstrated sharpness and precision. Come and Get the Beauty of it Hot is a great asset in developing these wonderful student dancers. The effect is spellbinding.
Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) has an illustrious history, with its initial performance in 1913 causing a riot at the Paris Opera. This version was choreographed by esteemed modern dance choreographer Doug Varone.
USF's performance is faithful to the spirit of the original Nijinsky choreography in its percussive movements and the feeling that the dancers are channeling spirits outside of themselves. The plot is the same as the original; it's spring, and a human sacrifice must be chosen to appease the gods. Varone sets the dance in an Early American time period with the dancers wearing plain prairie-style garb. Male and female sages, played by Eric Williams and Caitlyn Casson, appear to be evangelists. They fire up the group of young women with their charismatic presence, a Bible and a bundle of sticks that represents the ultimate sacrifice one of these women must make. The eerie feeling of foreboding reminded me of the Shirley Jackson short story The Lottery.
Enough can't be said for the all-out energy provided by the men and women in the corps. The audience was left breathless, and the dancers received a very well-deserved standing ovation. The artistic and production staff should also be mentioned for flawless lighting, sound and costume design — Jeanne-Elise Galluzzi, Beau Banks, and Marilyn Gaspardo Bertch, respectively.
If you live in the Tampa Bay area, go to see the USF Spring Dance Concert. This is a dance event that shouldn't be missed.
This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2011.