UW DANCE PRESENTS

A cluster of dancers stands frozen on the stage, their white costumes glowing softly in the darkness. Suddenly, a video of a face projects onto one dancer’s body, contained by the white outline of the costume. More face videos appear on each dancer and they begin to emote, moving eyes and lips around as their physical counterparts remain still. 

This work, titled Face It, opened the night for UW Dance Presents at Meany Hall’s Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater (known formerly as Meany Theater). Juliet McMains directed and choreographed this work in collaboration with the performers. The concert features other new works by UW Department of Dance faculty Alana Isiguen, Rachael Lincoln, and Jennifer Salk, as well as guest choreographer Kiné Camara. 

Face It utilizes more video projections as large white rectangles drop from the ceiling, acting as screens. Dancers solo downstage with wrapping arm movements and sweeping extensions, complemented by string quartet versions of Sufjan Stevens’ songs. Projected recordings of the dancers play behind each soloist, with the center stage screen being the largest, showing a version of the dancer twice the size of the physical person. 

The videos in Face It tend to overshadow the live dancers. The physical body takes second place to technology, and it is unclear whether or not this meaning is intentional. Is the physical form intended to be subservient to its recorded counterpart? Additionally, the movement choices, while they fit nicely with the music, appear to be arbitrary. It is confusing how the choreography relates to the concept.

The second work of the night, bold little shadow, began with one dancer downstage and their shadow counterpart upstage, silhouetted behind one of several lit pieces of fabric. The two dancers move in unison until the shadow dancer departs from the movement, piquing the curiosity of the other dancer. Their arms stretch out to touch, and soon the shadow dancer emerges through the fabric into a duet downstage.

Choreographed by Alana Isiguen in collaboration with the performers, bold little shadow is missing some relationship development. The piece starts off strong by establishing the dancer versus shadow dynamic, but that concept disappears once the dancer leaves the fabric. Later in the work, the fabric falls from the ceiling–a cinematic moment that goes unacknowledged. The shadow world that was so well established earlier is simply discarded behind the wings. When the second and third pieces of fabric fall, dancers roll them up and toss off stage as though they are not important. 

Once the fabric is gone, the piece no longer references the original concept and instead focuses on canon and unison phrase work. The dance doesn’t return to the dancer/shadow idea until the ending, during which dancers perform a parallel enveloppé in close proximity, almost as if they are all layered shadows of each other. Then each dancer peels off, leaving one alone on stage. The soloist repeats the movement in a more subdued manner, evoking loneliness now that they have no more counterparts. 

Guest choreographer Kiné Camara delivers an upbeat, playful work titled Amapiano 101. The program notes “In Amapiano 101, our dancers discover the vibrant world of South African dance for the first time. Amapiano is an Afro-electronic dance and music genre, born in the early 2010s in South Africa, especially in the townships of Johannesburg and Pretoria.” This work utilizes the theme of a school. Dressed like students, the performers move amongst tables and chairs facing a classic white board. 

Grounded and precise, dancers flow through footwork, maintaining rhythm throughout varying dynamics. They are celebrating each other, at times performing towards their peers on stage and at other times projecting their movement out to the audience. Changes in formation and frequent use of levels via stage props keep this work engaging. The dancers all look comfortable in the steps, as though they have practiced them enough to truly feel at ease and let the choreography shine. Amapiano 101 is captivating to watch and the movement is infectious! It made me want to dance along with them.

The Dream is Always the Same closes the night, choreographed by Rachael Lincoln and Jennifer Salk. Dressed in bright red socks, dancer Eddie McClary perches on top of a stool, showcasing an impressive one-legged squat. Meanwhile, performer Char Hertel plays the violin while sitting on a large swing suspended from the ceiling. Hertel swings back and forth, offering a striking visual counterpart to the slow motion of McClary, who (incredibly) suspends themselves into a plank on top of the stool, balancing with their nose to the ceiling before collapsing into their back. 

This piece builds a world that is equal parts ominous and dreamy. We meet an eclectic cast of characters. There is an echochamber-like ensemble of blue costumed people. A performer that dramatically hinges forward and back while seated in a lawn chair, their hair flowing in the wind while a fan scatters leaves across the stage. A black and red costumed dancer whose gooey inverted movement challenges McClary, until they eventually find common ground on the underside of the stool. These characters are distinct, embodying different demeanors and movement qualities. They embark on intertwined journeys that further the storyline of the work. 

One of the most impressive parts of this work is how seamlessly movement is used to create a throughline. The swing anchors the work, often juxtaposing the speed of the other performers. This motif is visually interesting, while also creating the shifting moods of the work. When the scene is eerie, the swing is still with no one sitting on it–a creepy departure from the motion we’ve become accustomed to. Similarly, the blue ensemble is often in slow motion in the background, complementing the other movement onstage while occupying a different relationship to time. This background choreography keeps the piece cohesive as the different parts remain present even when they’re not the focal point of the scene. The Dream is Always the Same is deeply interesting and beautifully arranged. It is the standout work of the night.

UW Dance Presents runs January 17-19, 2025 at Meany Hall – Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater. For more information, visit the University of Washington Department of Dance website.

Featured photo: Lou Chow in Rachael Lincoln & Jennifer Salk’s The Dream is Always the Same. Photo by Michael B Maine. Courtesy of UW Department of Dance.