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November 16, 2007 > Arts & Entertainment > Graceful yet repetitive segments in RDT show

Graceful yet repetitive segments in RDT show

By Nikki Metzgar | Thresher Editorial Staff

Rice students know about dance as much as they know about dating; that is, not very much.

The popular presumption is that modern dance performance just requires azelle-like leaps and the fetal position. Rice Dance Theatre appears to agree, filling up the hour-long fall concert Last Call with many graceful yet repetitive renditions of both, while managing to create emotional resonance even with these familiar body forms.

Last Call is organized into nine separate dance segments, eight of which are choreographed by students. The other is the work of RDT director Rebecca Valls. The Fresh Rice Breakers bust a hip move in the fifth set, radically breaking up the tone of the rest of the hour without harm.

Much like watching a girl finagle her number into a boy’s cell phone on the Inner Loop shuttle draws attention and awe, the varied limb stretching and balancing of RDT seems incredible. How do they do it? While there is a lot of general leaping and arm swooping going on, none of these actions are simply performed. This much is obvious, especially when the struggle registers on the dancers’ faces.

The first piece, “Septembers,” works well as a pleasant and accessible opener with nice visuals and awe-inspiring movements. Choreographed by Hanszen College senior Nancy O’Connor, the movements are fluid and, because of the blue costuming, conjure images of moving water. In one of the that was cool moments of “Last Call,” Will Rice College junior Marie McKinnon hoists herself upside-down onto the legs of Sid Rich senior Eleanor Weaver.

The fourth segment “Places Parallel,” choreographed by Will Rice junior Melody Munoz, is darker and more mechanical in movement and musical accompaniment than its predecessors. Each dancer wears one maroon glove and leg warmer, swarming the stage to Nine Inch Nails’ “Beside You in Time.”

Then the Fresh Rice Breakers take the stage. In what is a break dancing tradition, although slightly baffling for the concertgoer in the ballet context, dancers encircle each other encouragingly head-bobbing and cheering. Rice alum Marina Post (Will Rice ‘07) was a standout while Baker College freshman Weikei Yu mostly did the Robot. It was an effective contrast but tended to be repetitive

Oddly following the Breakers is Vall’s non-student “Memoirs,” which is an extract from “Memoirs of Sisterhood,” a performance premiering at DiverseWorks in December. If Samuel Beckett had ever choreographed a dance, it would look a lot like this. Valls, who dances in her own segment, spends the first quarter of the performance ensconced behind a sculpture resembling a bird house with a bloody wedding dress affixed to it. Meanwhile, McKinnon lies on the far end of the stage curled up in, indeed, the fetal position. Once the two dancers begin to interact, however, their movements speak to the protective relationship between two women.

The final dance, “Instincts” by Baker sophomore Lizzi Leslie, works as well as a closer as “Septembers” did as an opener. This final segment uses the largest ensemble in Last Call, with the cast dressed in either candy-cane black and red or powder blue. Those in black, who crawl bestially across the stage, dramatically engulf the dancers in blue as the segment progresses. The primal action is exciting and appealing to the visceral instincts.

Like dating, everyone dances regardless of skill level. But some do it better than others. RDT does it better than you, and even though the choreography is not always diverse, attending the show is worth the effort.

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