Theatre of Worlds: The Voyage
The industrial rock music by Nine Inch Nails is the inspiration for this year’s student winter dance concert, to be held at the Yulman Theater Thursday, March 5 through Sunday, March 8.
There will be three evening and two matinee performances.
“Theatre of Worlds: The Voyage” combines theater, live music, dance and performance art. The cast’s 60 performers have spent all term preparing for the event. In addition to performing, students are involved behind the scenes in lighting, costumes, make-up, and technical production.
“The voyage will show the beauties of the world as well as the world’s vulnerability to human consumption,” said Miryam Moutillet, dance program and concert director.
Each dance scene is designed to mimic a particular ecosystem or showcase a modern issue, such as global warming. The show will move the audience through a series of settings as if they were travelers, taking them to underwater, desert and other worlds.
winter dance concert 2009
“It’s a very technical show, with lots of unexpected twists, props and visual effects,” said Shauna Keeler ’09, who is dancing in numerous ballet and modern pieces. “It’s a phenomenal undertaking. Even though we’ve been rehearsing for months, I keep discovering new aspects of the show.”
Moutillet said the audience will be set up around three sides of the stage “to break down the traditional barriers that exist during performances and give the public a chance to view dance in a new and exciting way.”
The show also features the choreography of hip-hop instructor Carla Domenico-Wasbes, Professor of French Charles Batson and Annie Benfield ’09, Amelia Patten-Whitney ’09, Sarah Coleman ’09, Jen Fleischer ’09, Katie Newingham ’09 and Stacy Paul ’10.
Patten-Whitney, a recent Edward Villella dance scholarship recipient, is incorporating the belly dancing style that she studied with Mark Morris last summer in the desert scene. She created “Out of Space” with Benfield.
Dance concert band members include Jake Klein ’09 (drums), Julio Vidal ’09 (guitarist), Will Wilkins ’09 (bass) and Moutillet’s son, Tristan Allen (keyboard). Andy Iorio of Saratoga Springs is the musical director.
Performances are March 5, 6, and 7 at 8 p.m. and March 7 and 8 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are on sale at the Yulman Theatre. The cost is $10 for general admission and $7 for Union faculty, staff and students (with Union College ID) as well as area seniors. The box office is open Monday through Friday, 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. For more information or reservations, call 388-6545.