Jan. 6, 2004
Contact: Maria Junco
(805) 756-1248
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Costumes Created for ’51 Balanchine Ballet On Loan For Cal
Poly Orchesis Dance Company’s ‘Reflections’ Concert
SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly Orchesis Dance Company’s 34th
annual concert on Jan. 30-31 and Feb. 5-7 will showcase the talent of
Cal Poly students and new work from guest choreographers, as well as a
dance with costumes created for a George Balanchine production.
Titled “Reflections,” this year’s program will feature
a variety of dance styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop
and Mexican folkloric dance, under the direction of Maria Junco, chair
of the Theatre and Dance Department, and assistant director and faculty
member Michelle Walter.
Evening performances are scheduled at 8 p.m. Jan. 30 and 31 and Feb. 5-7.
A 2 p.m. matinee is scheduled Feb.1. All performances will be in the Cal
Poly Theatre.
“The exceptional lineup of guest artists for ‘Reflections’
includes popular local choreographer and faculty member Valerie Kline,”
Junco said.
“In ‘Dream #25’ the transformation of a bad dream turning
good is comically portrayed by 17 pajama-clad dancers, twitching their
way through the frightening and the unknown to end up clownishly calypso
dancing their way to Utopia,” Junco said.
“Under the Influence,” with music by Tool and choreographed
by faculty member Diana Stanton, showcases a raw, athletic movement style
and highlights innovative partnering and movement invention. The original
work focuses on the ideas of conformity, manipulation and rebellion. Stanton
earned an MFA in dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder and
teaches dance at Cal Poly and Allan Hancock Community
College.
In “WE, Part II,” a ballet by local choreographer Lisa Deyo, the dancers will wear historic costumes created for Balanchine’s 1951 ballet “La Valse.” “WE, Part II” is a continuation of Deyo’s exploration of the significance, definition and value of being “we.” Deyo’s professional activities included membership in the Hubbard Street Dance Company and Los Angeles Chamber Ballet.
Mike Esperanza’s “IV” with music by Peter Gabriel is
a moving modern dance in which
four struggling individuals find strength in unity, according to Junco.
Esperanza presented “IV” by invitation at the American College
Dance Festival Gala Concert in 2003. He teaches at Defore Dance Center
and Ballet Conservatory and choreographs for various California companies.
Southern California guest choreographer Gabriel Francisco will present “Book of the Month,” an eclectic hip-hop work. Francisco is the artistic director for Future Shock and trains with such hip hop dance pioneers as Eric Fenn, Angie Bunch and Gus Bembery.
“‘Excerpts from Epode,’ choreographed by New York native Alexander Pelham, is a fast-paced jazz piece with innovative ‘movement vocabulary’ and a strong ballet influence,” Junco said. Alexander has performed with Donald Byrd, Elisa Monte Dance, Hamburg Ballet and the Georgia Ballet and recently received three consecutive NAACP Awards for choreography and acting.
“Los Angeles choreographers Dennon and Sayhber Rawles have created an exciting jazz finale to ‘With a Little Help From My Friends,’ by Joe Cocker,” Junco said. “The Rawles are famous for their professional work in both film and television, including choreography for ‘Staying Alive’ with John Travolta, and ‘Bugsy’ with Warren Beatty.”
Student works include modern, tap, jazz and lyrical pieces. “Political science junior Amanda Alquist draws upon the soul power of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Think’ for her sassy and upbeat tap dance.” Junco said. “‘Cell Block Tango,’ from the musical ‘Chicago,’ choreographed by Orchesis alumnus Matthew Bartlett and current Orchesis President Camille Bikle, explodes with energy and passion.”
Tickets for “Reflections,” are $9 to $12 and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, dial SLO-ARTS (756-2787); to order by fax, dial 756-6088; to order online go to www.pacslo.org.
The Orchesis Dance concert is sponsored by Cal Poly’s
Theatre and Dance Department, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Instructionally
Related Activities program office. For more information, call Junco at
(805) 756-1248.
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