OCR Text |
Show BY KAITLIN BAXTER/STAFF WRITER PHOTOS BY PRESTON ZUBAL E R 1 S F ANYTH 1 S ome graduate students write and defend 100-page dissertations. Others complete and present painstaking research. Graduate students in the U's Department of Modern Dance put on a show. "The Theory of..." is a concert of thesis work being presented this weekend at the Marriott Center for Dance. The works performed in "The Theory of..." come as a result of choreographic research completed in the third and final year of work by graduate students in the department. There are six graduate candidates who perform in or have choreographed for the show, or both. In addition, undergraduate students in the department perform in some of the pieces. A highlight of the program is a dance worked on by all six graduate students and co-created by Netta Yerushalmy, a prestigious guest artist from New York. Yerushalmy has performed, taught and choreographed all over the world, including in Russia, Israel and the Dominican Republic. Each piece on the program is individual and offers a different array of potential emotional respons- 6 { THECHRONY NEWS OPINION I is"" I SPORTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 es in the audience members. For me, one piece brought to mind an air of anxiety and overwhelming curiosity. Another recalled both the giddy feeling of a crush and the frustration caused by being unable to get the nerve to speak to the one you like. However, each audience member will interpret the pieces differently. The choreography is as varied as the emotional responses in the audience. One particular piece almost seems like a mini play, as the dancers act and monologue on stage intermixed with the choreography. Another features live music, as one of the performers roams the stage with an accordion. Despite their differences, all of the pieces shared one feature — they were interesting to watch. According to a press release for the event, "The Theory of..." presents works that are "contemplative but not all serious." This was clear in the humor evident in several of the pieces and the more serious nature of others. While to the untrained eye it may look like the choreography does not require a great deal of technique, this is not the case. One look at the muscles in the dancers' legs and it is clear this art form requires strength, precision and practice even when it appears as though dancers are just moving at random to the beats of the music. Music is an important part of each performance. Within a single piece there may be multiple songs or only one, but the music is always chosen with care. Sometimes the music is an integral part of the choreography. However, music is not always required for the dancers. There may be long periods when the performance's only accompaniment is the breathing or vocalization of the dancers. As far as graduate student work goes, the performance of thought-provoking and entertaining choreography in "The Theory of..." made for an enjoyable and unique evening. "The Theory of..." will be showing tonight, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, also at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door and are free with your UCard. k.baxter@chronicle.utah.edu @ChronyArts 7 |