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UMKC Conservatory Dance Division gathered Thursday night to present its fall concert. The predominantly female program featured works by two greats, Antony Tudor and August Bournonville, as well as guest choreographer Jamal Story and UMKC faculty. It was not the school’s strongest showing but the dancers gave a sincere performance.

The curtain first opened on a group of students wearing pink tights, pointe shoes, black leotards, and skirts. Ronald Tice’s concept, Tangent, was classical, elementary, and a bit confusing. The selection and organization of music seemed odd and the transitions were abrupt. The ensemble struggled to dance in unison, but soloist Haley Day and the two demi-soloists stood out for their sophisticated performance. Day had dazzling stage presence and a cheerful calmness to her movement style.

John Swapshire was featured in Thursday’s performance of Jamal Story’s Rite Remixed (Notes on Rite of Spring). Loosely based on Vaslav Nijinsky and Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Story’s interpretation reflected several of the same themes—mania, primitiveness, and conformity. Much of Jamal’s choreography, especially in the beginning, was interesting but not executed to its full effectiveness. The partnering felt forced and disconnected with sloppy execution. However, the last woman to have a solo moved instinctively in a controlled rage around the stage as she and the other women began to overtake Swapshire.

Drastically switching genres, Mark Gieringer, Taylor Ohman, and Liza Rod presented Bournonville’s “Pas de trois” from La Ventana. This particular excerpt featured slower steps and promenades requiring balance, which proved to be difficult for the trio. Despite the nerves, they persisted with smiles on their faces and the individual variations were more successful.

Donald Mahler, who staged Antony Tudor’s Continuo, was in attendance and should be proud of the sextet he coached. Set to the familiar Pachelbel’s Canon, the piece was whimsical and quirky; a perfect choice for the students. The first couple breezed on stage and related well while executing the brisk movement. The latter two couples did not flow as well, but everyone commendably kept up with the intricately woven choreography for which Tudor is known.

Also staying true to one’s choreographic style, DeeAnna Hiett set a fiery three-movement work to popular tunes by Etta James. The first section showcased a swarm of women in all red working their hips and sassy attitudes to impress the male dancers attempting to be Rico Suave. “At Last” was slower and tastefully lustful, focusing on three couples made up of some long-legged girls. The last song started out with sexy silhouettes and incorporated more jazzy movement.

Paula Weber’s To Each Her Own commanded the audience’s attention because of its high quality composition and execution. The movement was simple and clean, accentuating the six females’ long lines. Each woman expressed her individual style while cohesively blending together. The angelic music matched the dancers’ beautifully flowing presentation, while Kyle Coyer’s effective lighting design and Weber’s sleek and refined costume design heightened the overall performance.

Sabrina Madison-Cannon’s Revisit ended the evening on a high. Set to epic music by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, the dancers attacked the dark, disturbing theme with full force. The piece lacked a great amount of dancing but was visually stunning as the dancers’ poses matched the music’s intensities and the lighting effects designed by Doug Macur. The sections with a few dancers seemed stagnant and repetitive. The work was most powerful with the whole ensemble acting as one entity.

REVIEW:
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Fall Dance Concert
Thursday, November 3, 2011 (Reviewed)
Friday, November 4, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, UMKC Campus
4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call (816) 235-6222, or online at http://conservatory.umkc.edu

Top Photo: Jamal Story

By Laura Vernaci

Dance Contributor

Laura Vernaci is a Kansas City native who has always been passionate about the arts, particularly dance. She began dance lessons at the young age of five and hasn't stopped since. She trained at the Kansas City Ballet where she became a serious dancer and learned about a professional company. 

She attended Butler University in Indianapolis, IN where she majored in dance. She transferred to Truman State University in Kirksville, MO in 2006 and received a degree in Journalism in May 2008.  Laura spent the 2008-2009 in Duluth, MN dancing professionally for the Minnesota Ballet. She performed in productions such as, "The Nutcracker," "Cinderella" and "Coppelia" as well as world premier ballets created on the company.

She recently moved back to Kansas City and is excited to combine her experience in writing with her passion for dance. In addition to performing and writing, Laura also enjoys teaching dance and choreographing.