The Salt Lake Community College Dance Company performed their fall concert “eMOTION” on Nov. 22 and 23 at The Grand Theatre.
Along with the SLCC Dance Company, the performance included SLCC faculty as well as community professionals such as Lorin Hansen, artistic director of Samba Fogo, and Ro Malaga, assistant-choreographer for the “High School Musical” films.
Each dance was to be based on a human emotion all while using “projected images and film,” according to The Grand Theatre website.
On Friday night, there were no projected images or film, but the show went on and the performers became the main focal point as they should be.
The dancers were not the only performers on stage though.
“Dear Son,” was a contemporary number performed by Courtney Norris and choreographer/dancer Erica Womack, with on-stage vocals by Megan Jones.
Jones’ elegant singing of “This Little Light of Mine” by Harry Dixon Loes went hand-in-hand with the graceful movements of the dancers portraying a pregnant woman and the birth of a child.
The use of chairs in “Waiting for June” helped the dancers reach new heights as though they were flowers blossoming in the summer sun only to wilt away at the first sign of winter.
The poem “Aubade-Dawn Breaks,” written by Pack Browning, set the tone for “Reversing,” a dance choreographed by Tess Boone. It was poetry in motion as the dancers moved across the stage exemplifying going backwards in a day.
Laughter was a nice change of pace with the dance “This Explains the Why” performed by Brooklyn Draper and Monica Remes. A humorous short story, with something about Oprah farting in a bathtub and the term “fo-shizzle,” diverts your attention from what you are seeing to what you are hearing.
The dance was not humorous but the audio was and the contrast provided a refreshing emotion to the audience.
After a few dimly lit dances, “Applause” burst onto the stage with high energy, bright lights, “Crayola-looking” costumes by Cherylene Rosenvall, and Lady Gaga pumping through the speakers. The dancers showed off their athletic ability nailing a couple back handsprings dressed in hoodie leotards.
The variation, complexity and creative costumes of the performance made the audience feel as though they were at an actual Lady Gaga concert.
The show concluded with “Samba Carnival” highlighted by two men, Alex Duenas and Nick Gibas who were dressed like Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.” Duenas and Gibas paraded around a group of women who resembled Vegas showgirls in a mono y mono samba especial. The men showed impressive skills shimming and shaking all while pivoting on the heel of a foot.
Despite not having the projected images and film, the concert provided enough outlets of entertainment to satisfy even the unconventional dance audience member. The music, lighting, singing, poetry and performers all went well together, and everyone who had a part in this concert should be proud.
