An Observation of The Dance Concert Performance by Clarion University

On Sunday, April 22nd, 2018, I attended a Dance Concert hosted by Clarion University. This performance took place at 2 p.m. and lasted numerous hours. Unlike most performances, this one included many pieces within. For example, audiences had the pleasure of watching: "Along Came Bialy," "Break the Cycle," "How Deep the Father’s Love," "Welcome to Wonderland," "Hip Hop Team," and many more. Throughout watching these live performances, several ideas surfaced in my mind. At the top was the talent and determination these performers demonstrated to create such a beautiful art of dance. The three primary dances I would like to examine are “Break the Cycle,” “Hip Hop Team,” and “Along Came Bialy.” These selections embodied ideas of timeless classical art more so than other pieces, in my opinion. The choreography, performance, and lighting design made the overall production a successful and impressionable experience for audience members.

Break the Cycle: A Deeper Meaning

Within the pamphlet, under the “Break the Cycle” section, there was much history of a cause. Each year, Clarion University aims to donate to a charitable cause. This year, the school aimed to bring forth awareness to foster care. This cause is highly needed in the Clarion area, as proclaimed. The title is certainly relevant to the cause with which it is affiliated. Breaking the cycle of having children without homes is most likely what it represented. Whether or not this is true, this dance and the information about it offer a great effort in bringing awareness to such issues. The choreography in this piece was done wonderfully by Janet Amoroso. The song "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors was played, setting a somewhat sad mood, which relates to the message. One of the lines claims “this house doesn’t feel like home,” which really relates to the cause of foster care. The dancers in this piece are very beautiful and elegant with their movements.

Along Came Bialy: A Timeless Classic

Along Came Bialy also had paragraphs of information regarding it in the pamphlet audiences received. The composer of this piece was Mel Brooks. He had always wanted to reconstruct his vision of a personal encounter he had. He once had a producer who used to seduce older women in efforts to achieve funding for his productions. This is where the idea for "Along Came Bialy" came from. Originally, the author of this selection had tried to write a book about such an idea; however, it was deemed too long, and he decided to simply base a play on it. This was referred to as a timeless piece. In this performance, the story is based on real situations. The larger picture in this selection represents the older women who were being seduced. The characters have walkers and dance to the beat of the background music. The music increases in volume at certain parts, to which the dancing is aligned. The choreographer in this piece was the same as the previous selection, Janet Amoroso. The lighting, designed by Robert Reiser, was very similar to "Break the Cycle." It is rather dim, with a single light centralized overlooking the characters, emphasizing the duality of comedy and realism in the narrative.

Hip Hop Team: A Burst of Energy

Hip Hop Team was the other selection I have chosen for analysis. This selection was done by our very own Clarion Hip Hop Team. The piece “Step in Time” was actually from "Mary Poppins," which I found to be intriguing. Mary Poppins gained popularization from Walt Disney becoming interested in it. There were two conditions that the author set forth for her book to become a musical. The first was that all members had to be English. The second was that no one who worked on the movie could work on stage production. Both of which were fulfilled. The choreography, done by Clarion’s team, was executed quite well. The mood was somewhat different from the others being discussed because it had a much more positive and happy tone. The music chosen was House of Pain’s "Jump Around," which made audiences' moods lighten from such a drastic difference. The characters' movements make up a larger photograph of precision and passion. The lighting designer in this selection was Dakohta Hall. Although the mood of this piece was much happier compared to the others, it was also much darker, adding intensity to the performance.

Performance and Lighting: Crafting the Atmosphere

The performance aspect of "Break the Cycle" was impeccable. Here we find five major characters, four women and one man. Three women are dancing their choreography from the stage floor, and one woman and only man are upright, swinging and dancing around. Three of the women are dressed in traditional pink ballerina uniforms, and the other woman in black. The costume of the only man is in black as well. In "Along Came Bialy," the choreography came to life. All characters were exact with their movements to the music playing. Each of the nine women is not separate from their walkers. The colors of black, purple, and white set the mood for the background of the play. Moments of suspense include heightened volumes as well as characters swaying and lifting their walkers to make noise during these intervals. In "Hip Hop Team," the performance was increasingly special because it was done by students within my university. Each was dressed in black t-shirts with shirts tied around their waists.

Conclusion

In conclusion, each of these three pieces is a timeless classic. The choreography, performance, and lighting made this possible. People of all ages can enjoy the numerous dances performed at Clarion’s performance. Overall, these dances will be in my memory for the rest of my life. This experience was unlike anything I have ever seen before. Amongst these performances, my favorite was "Hip Hop Team" because members of our own school made it as well as the choreography. The dedication and talent shown in each piece were truly remarkable and inspiring.

References:

• Brooks, Mel. "Along Came Bialy." Clarion University Dance Concert, 22 Apr. 2018.
• X Ambassadors. "Unsteady." VHS, Interscope Records, 2015.
• House of Pain. "Jump Around." House of Pain, Tommy Boy Records, 1992.