Winterdance 2010 makes for a chilling performance
Winter dance showcases tango, ballet, Hawaiian, belly dancing, tap dancing, hip hop, and more. (Kevin Rodriguez/Lariat contributer)
A passionate tango piece, a native Hawaiian dance, and a tap dancing battle with a drum section were just some of the performances by Saddleback College students in “Winterdance 2010” presented by the dance department last Thursday and Friday in the McKinney Theatre.
Winterdance provides the opportunity for dance students to showcase the hard work that they have put forth throughout the semester. It had some of the most popular dance styles as well as some unique finds.
Twelve performances with over 50 students displayed a variation of dances, such as the first piece of the night, a ballet recital named “Esemplastic.”
The curtains opened five minutes passed their designated time, but the dancers definitely captured the audiences’ attention with their skill through solos and simultaneous choreography. The background displayed different colors and scenes that paralleled the music.
The next dance presented the passionate Argentinean Tango with the students in pairs. The tango dancers displayed their connection with their partners in an electrifying performance holding the audience in awe with the dance number.
Next, a more contemporary piece, “Consequences,” set a completely different atmosphere.
The dancers portrayed the story using a domino effect — when one dancer does something it results in consequences for the others. The accompanying music had an unusual rhythm, almost like the beeping of a heart, creating emotion from the performance.
Fourth on the stage, representing a native Hawaiian dance, the Pule Makai dance showed a more upbeat and colorful dance.
Other dances included a Prince-inspired tap dancing piece, complete with sparkling outfits which made for another moving dance. Then last to perform before intermission was a smooth, rhythmic dance named “I Will Not Be Sad in This World.” The modern dance grasped the viewers’ emotions with their slow tempo beat and of their message of unison.
Following intermission was the most popular dance of our generation, Hip Hop. Fifteen students swarmed the staged and revived the audience through the bass tossed out by some of the most well-liked songs of this age.
Another more complex ballet presentation, “Beneath the Layers,” stunned the audience with the professionalism in their routine with the flawless precision in their steps and delightful outfits.
Next to perform was a belly-dancing routine where the sound of their outfits jingled to the beat of the music making the viewers want to dance along.
The second-to-last performance had a more comedic act where the two tap dancers had a battle with two drummers who mimiced their sound. Spectators laughed and cheered as their performance continued.
“I loved the tap dancing act with the drums because it was different than the rest of the performances,” said Elizabeth Hexeuberg.
The finale highlighted the song “Somebody to Love,” originally recorded by the rock group Queen, but revitalized most recently as part of the hit TV show Glee.
The performance was named “Revival” and that is exactly what it had done to the viewers.
“The performance went really well. I have been attending this for about five years and I absolutely love coming each time,” said Ruth Slater, motherof Matt Slater of the “Revival” dance. “I especially loved the ballet piece, but of course my favorite was with my son in the last performance.”
In all, the spectators and families could tell that the performers and choreographers spent many hours into making this performance as spectacular as it had showcased.
“I thought that the whole performance was phenomenal.” said Adam Rtunda. “In fact it had inspired my 4-year-old daughter to dance, so this was perfect for her.”
Linda Ruddy, parent of belly dancer Cathryn Ruddy, thought that they did a great job as well.
“You can tell that they have done a lot of practicing, because they all appeared very professional,” said Ruddy. “It made me very proud that the college would provide this event for the students.”
Winterdance 2010 was directed by Dorothy Anderson Garant and choreographed by instructors in the dance department. Proceeds go toward concert expenses
and student scholarships.