April 24, 2009
UWSP and Jump Rhythm Jazz Project team up for
Danstage 2009
Danstage 2009 will be staged May 1-3 and 7-9 at Jenkins Theatre at the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Noel Fine Arts Center.
(
click
for high res photo)
Chicago’s acclaimed Jump Rhythm Jazz Project will team up with the Department of Theatre and
Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) for Danstage 2009 on May 1-3
and 7-9.
With new works from UWSP dance faculty Joan Karlen, Michael Estanich and Jeannie Hill and the UWSP
premiere of Billy Siegenfeld’s “god of dirt,” Danstage 2009 is packed with originality.
Danstage 2009 will be presented in Jenkins Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 1, Saturday, May 2,
Thursday, May 7, Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9. A matinee will be offered at 2 p.m. on Sunday,
May 3.
Tickets are $17 for adults, $16 for senior citizens and $12 for youth. UWSP students with a
valid ID may purchase advance tickets for $4.50 per show or get in free the day of the show,
if seats are still available. Tickets may be purchased at the University Information and Ticket
Office in the Dreyfus University Center, by calling 715-346-4100 or 800-838-3378, or online
at
www.uwsp.edu/centers/uit/ordering.asp.
Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted.
For previews and commentary on the show visit the Danstage 2009 blog
at
uwspdanstage.blogspot.com.
“god of dirt” is an earth-honoring folk dance that transcends national cultures. Its percussive,
hand-grasping, heavy-booted movement arises from grafting the swinging, sharp-edged rhythms of
Jump Rhythm TechniqueTM onto a suite of yearning, mocking, growling, melancholic, and ecstatic
songs created by the boundary-crossing Serb-Croat composer Goran Bregovic. In three forward-moving
episodes, “god of dirt” celebrates the survival tenacity, wry humor, and humility that, in
combination, re-connect people to community, their own bodies' wisdom, and the earth's capacity
for instruction in this increasingly cyber-driven, technology-dependent world.
Poignant, funny and fierce, Jeannie Hill’s new work, “Oz,” will lift your spirits and leave you
with a song in your heart. Located somewhere between Alice’s Wonderland and Dorothy’s Emerald City
ten fantastic females (evocative of Frank L. Baum’s unforgettable characters from The Wizard of Oz)
sing, swing and romp through an enchanted forest in this slightly twisted version of the archetypal
quest for self-discovery. Quirky and compelling, this tap dance tale unfolds through rhythmic
confabulation inspired by jazz arrangements of Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s memorable
tunes.
Inspired by birds, “The Angel and the Albatross” examines the collective power of the group while
recognizing our instinctual desire to be alone. The lush movement palette balances the delicate,
personal gesture with the expansive, athletic footfalls of a group of 18. Avian-inspired costuming
and a powerful video installation of clouds passing across the bright sky complete the imaginary
environment. “The Angel and the Albatross” transports the viewer to a world of swooping, darting
floor patterns and intimate, gentle relationships.
Choreographer Joan Karlen’s “Ringtone” offers a glimpse into the juxtaposition between physical
contact and mediated, screen communication. Ten dancers loop and weave over a series of ramps
creating a network of danced relationships. Projected and live images designed and mixed in real
time by Department of Computing and New Media Technologies faculty Amod Damle and Katie Miller and
design technology major Andy Broomell create layers of video and textural information that expand
and enliven the stage environment. Composer Max Richter’s compositional ringtones provides melodic
counterpoint for the athletic, fluid choreography.
In “A ΒΌ” below the surface of the earth,” choreographer Michael Estanich uses the body as the
landscape for fiery physical investigation. The work is designed to challenge the movement habits
and physical stamina of the dancers’ bodies and enable them to access their explosive power. Set
against a serene installation of hanging wind chimes and circulating air, the dancers navigate
complex, high-speed movement patterns with precision and intensity.
