Wheaton Dance Company creates 'Synergy' in spring concert
April 29, 2009
The Wheaton Dance Company, under the direction of Christianna Kavaloski, will showcase a variety of new works in its spring concert, "Synergy," on May 1, 2 and 3.
Concert times are 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday, with all three shows taking place in the Weber Theatre, Watson Fine Arts Building.
The word "Synergy," as noted in the concert program book, denotes "the interaction of elements that, when combined, produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements."
It's a definition that reflects the variety of contributors to the concert and the range of works on the program. The concert will draw upon many dance forms, including ballet, contact improvisation, hip hop, jazz, martial arts, musical theater, popular social dance and world dance.
The choreography, too, is the work of many artists, including professional choreographers, student dancers, Kurt Adametz '08, and several other Wheaton dance alums. Guest performers include Wheaton's TRYBE and SOLE dance companies, and soloists from the American Academy of Dance in Mansfield, Mass.
"We will showcase many types of dance this year, including a traditional Filipino dance, choreographed by Tanya Aritao '12, using bamboo to strike the floor in rhythm," says Kavaloski, assistant professor of theatre studies and dance.
The 13 performers from the Wheaton Dance Company are Lesley Backus '09 (captain), Elise Barrar '10 (captain), Kayla Rack '10, Sarah Griffin '11, Erin Biles '11, Marlowe Miller '11, Dalia Saponznikow '11, Becca Seferian '11, Tanya Aritao '12, Natasha Holm '12, Kristen Stevens '12, Liz Mullen '12 and Amy O'Neil '12.
"The studio is my second home, and the dance company members are like my family, since we spend so much time together," says Barrar. "The ultimate external reward is when we get to perform. But the internal rewards happen daily. Dancing is how I express myself, and when I'm in rehearsal, my mind forgets everything, focusing only on the joy of the movement."
Kavaloski is completing her first year as director of the Dance Company. She has over 25 years of professional dance experience, having trained and worked with such companies as the Boston Ballet, New York City Ballet and Joffrey Ballet, among others.
"I love having the opportunity to introduce students to a new art form, and it's very gratifying to watch as students progress and develop a sense of musicality and artistry," Kavaloski says. "The company is particularly rewarding, as I see each member discover his or her personal aesthetic and develop his or her personal voice."
Members of the company rehearse Monday through Thursday for two hours each day. In addition, members usually take dance classes, adding another three or four hours a week to their time commitment.
"Dancing is definitely a rewarding experience for me," says Barrar. "Even though my response to people asking me to do [other] things is, 'I can't, I have rehearsal,' I don't see it as sacrificing anything, because I am doing what I love."
(Photos by Annie Laurie Malarkey '09)
Tickets for "Synergy" are $5 (general admission) and $2 (students and seniors). To reserve tickets, call the Watson Box Office at 508-286-3575 or send e-mail to boxoffice@wheatoncollege.edu.
