Light, joyful dance compositions contrasted with darker, introspective pieces were showcased this weekend as part of the Senior Dance Concert.
The concert, which featured eight pieces created by the six seniors in the School of Dance’s senior class, ran Thursday through Saturday and was part of the students’ capstone project. Solo and group pieces alike speckled the weekend, but Ohio University students choreographed each performance.
Satuday’s 7 p.m. show was sold out, said Kimberly Murry, who choreographed one of the group pieces.
“I think the show was really good, and everything has been exhilarating to see,” Murry said.
The night began with “It Just Goes Lalala,” a group piece described as “light and soft” by its choreographer Michael O’Neill. The performance featured different groups of dancers coming out with quick, kinetic movements and repeated motion.
Bethany Logan, a sophomore dancer in O’Neill’s piece, said Saturday’s show was one of the best runs of the piece, and that she was excited about the concert as a whole.
Different solos choreographed and performed by the seniors showcased a diverse range of emotions and moods as the concert progressed.
Kelsey Maiolo’s solo, “Who Knew Lakes Had Waves?,” was a contemplative, emotional performance, whereas a solo performed by Earlyn Whitehead titled “Awakening the Illusion” was a cathartic piece that included vocal samples that helped illustrate the conflict felt in the mind.
Two pieces — “Self-Restraint” a duet performed and choreographed by senior Steven Evans Sr. and junior Lauren Slivosky, as well as “Disturbances Within a Medium” by Whitehead — were written last year and were revisited for this year’s performance.
Slivosky said that the variety presented by the seniors’ compositions was an important part of the concert itself.
“All (the pieces) really stand on their own in such distinct ways,” Slivosky said. “The audience can really see the differences in how modern dance can be because it does have such a range.”
Kristopher Terry, a junior studying dance who performed in Murry’s piece “Dwelling,” said that performing the same show twice for three days made for a unique experience each time.
“There is always something new that you can find, whether it be a connection with the music or a new feeling behind the movement,” Terry said. “It is all about just finding something new every time, keeping it interesting for yourself, which makes it interesting for the audience.
ds834910@ohiou.edu
