The Inaugural Scripps Faculty and Alumnae Dance Concert will take place Friday, February 3, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, February 4 at 8 p.m. in the Garrison Theater of the Scripps College Performing Arts Center. General admission is $5 and tickets will be sold at the Garrison Theater box office beginning at 7:30 p.m. on performance nights. For concert information, contact Scripps College Department of Dance at (909) 607-2934.
Reflecting a variety of dance styles, the program will feature members of the Scripps College dance faculty, alumnae, and student of The Claremont College who are performing in and choreographing the concert. The dancers and choreographers include: Gail Abrams, professor of dance; Suchi Branfman, dance faculty; Ronnie Brosterman, professor of dance and chair of the Department of Dance; Joel Smith, dance faculty; Liz Casebolt, guest; Andrea Cordova-Caddes, class of 2003; Meg Foley, class of 2004; Molly Rogers, class of 2005; and Arianne MacBean director of the Big Show Co. dancers include Nicole Clarke, class of 2004, Courtney Crocker, class of 2004, and Eliza Pfister, class of 2005. Hao Huang, associate professor of music and chair of the Department of Music will provide musical accompaniment for a portion of the performance.
The following are details of the pieces to be performed:
- “At the Recital,” choreographed by the Department of Dance Chair Ronnie Brosterman, follows the shifting participation of an audience at a concert: from the excitement of an evening out, to anticipation, to individual paths of entry into the music, to a unified engagement and shared catharsis. Hao Huang, associate professor of music, will play an original piano score by Scott Hiltzik
- “Bones of Evidence,” choreographed and performed by Suchi Branfman, Scripps College dance faculty, is a solo about the conundrums of growing older in American society. From physical changes to emotional breakdowns, “Bones of Evidence” is narrated by women ages 45-95, who tell their stories from a variety of cultural perspectives and experiences, share their fears, ideas, anxieties, and joys. Music is by Mickey Hart and Steve Reich, with the additional sounds of a local garage.
- Arianne MacBean’s triptych of trios, “Ways of Moving”explores ways of being moved—physically and emotionally. The dances follow three characters that meet and at first try to conform to each other, then notice and appreciate their differences, and finally celebrate in their quirky togetherness. Noted by the LA Times as “a witty and ironic exploration of human states” this work was premiered in 2004 at Highways Performance Space. Performers are Scripps alumnae Nicole Clarke ’04, Courtney Crocker ’04, and Eliza Pfister ’05.
- “Between Two Homes,” choreographed and performed by Gail Abrams, Scripps College dance faculty, is about hope, faith, and making peace with the loss of a loved one. It was originally conceived a year ago, after the choreographer’s father and sister-in-law passed away within two months of each other. The second piece of music, Stand in that River, is sung by VOCO, and features a solo section performed by the dancer’s niece, Christine. Ultimately, the dance pays homage to family.
- “In The Space Provided” is choreographed and performed by Joel Smith, Scripps College dance faculty, and Liz Casebolt, guest artist. It is a smart, humorous, physical, and complex duet that investigates the realm of new friendships: the oddly coincidental randomness of first meetings, what it is that attracts us to another person, and the ways in which we weigh and measure a potential friend when we are deciding if we want them in our lives.
- “Utah” is presented by Meg Foley Scripps ’04, who has returned to Claremont with two dancers from Philadelphia, Devynn Emory and Makoto Hirano . This quietly sensual duet deals with internal pressures within each individual body and between the two bodies. Performed to some silence, the timing is determined by the dancers as they respond to one another as they move through their respective pathways. The sound artist is Ryoji Ikeda; music is edited by Geoffrey Sparks.
- “Alegr