A large audience flocked to the Carpenter Performing Arts Center this weekend to watch “Fusion,” presented by the Department of Dance and the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. Six performances were showcased, each one inspired by and choreographed to the musical score of the live orchestra.
“Night Flowers,” “Vista” and “Life Line” were the three standout performances of the evening.
With an opening as intriguing as “Night Flowers,” choreographed by Colleen Dunagan, the dancers seemed to personify groups of budding flowers through beautifully-composed canon sequences as the audience stayed captivated until the end.
The elegant choreography and Debussy’s classical score succeeded well, complimenting the various energy levels throughout.
By utilizing a large number of well-rehearsed dancers, Dunagan allowed the audience to feel surrounded by a field of flowering movement brought to life by the music.
Inspired by the rich musical structure and emotional dynamics of Bach’s “Violin Concerto in A Minor,” Sophie Monat succeeded in choreographing to her dancers’ strengths, who displayed impeccable timing, great musicality and strong, yet fluid technique in Monat’s piece “Vista.”
The quality of the performance should be commended, particularly in the solo and partner sequences, in which the males’ strengths allowed females to shine.
With the fusion of music and dance collaborating so well, along with the dreamlike blue colour scheme and classical score, the ballet routine could certainly be enjoyed all day.
Choreographed to “Three Movements” by Steve Reich, “Life Line” was clearly driven by the classical score, by dividing the piece into three parts that coincide with the music.
Susan McLain’s “Life Line” delivered a fascinating concept by allowing dancers to use ropes as props to communicate their movement.
While the opening sequence was strong, it was the second and the third part of the performance that captivated the audience the most.
The three duos that followed were performed fantastically, almost implying — in some parts— sexual innuendo and the power these males had over their female partners.
In the third sequence, more ropes were introduced as the music became livelier. Dancers who came to the stage captured the audience with their communicated lifelines.
“Elegy (What Rises Can Fall),” choreographed by Lorin Johnson to a beautifully performed Mozart piece, expressed a metaphorical representation of the universal ebb and flow in everyday life.
While the concept of rising and falling was evident in both the music and dance, it was the orchestra that outshone in this piece. Elements of the performance weren’t clear as to whether they were canon or in sync, and small details — such as the dancers’ loose hair — distracted some viewers who would have preferred to enjoy the choreography. However, the performance quality and technique of the dancers were still well delivered and enjoyed.
Both “Life in Security,” filmed and choreographed by Keith Johnson and Gregory Crosby, and “Diverting Normalcy Humour,” choreographed by Holly Johnston, demonstrated the humorous aspects in everyday life.
“Life In Security,” choreographed to a Mozart musical score, communicated through film the invasive qualities of art that find their way into everyday actions and lives of unsuspecting neighbors.
“Diverting Normalcy” communicated the aspects of life, discovered when diverging from the mundane, that are less ordinary and show the actual beauty in the dance of everyday life. The use of costume allowed audience members to relate to everyday existence, while sparks of humour were evident when dancers communicated the facets of everyday relationships.
In a first-time-ever live orchestra performance with the Departments of Dance and Music of Cal State Long Beach, the concert was very well-received, understandable by the live orchestra, performance quality and fascinating choreography.
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