The Department of Dance presents the annual Faculty Dance Concert, showcasing the choreography of dance faculty and featuring faculty and guest artists.
Tickets: 18, $12 (UNC Charlotte faculty, staff, and alumni), $10 (seniors, active military, and veterans), $8 (students). CoA+A majors receive a complimentary ticket through the 49erArtsLink program.
PROGRAM
Vibhatsya: Deconstructing the Smile
Choreography: Kaustavi Sarkar
Vibhatsya: Deconstructing the Smile investigates the aesthetic, political, cultural, philosophical, ethical, and social constructions behind the smile, a conventional feature of a classically trained dancing body. Through a deliberate focus on the expressivity of grief, pain, trauma, and suffering, this piece uses light and shadow as performative strategies of light and dark moods. The dance is embedded within and inspired from the current political scenario that finds the hardening of schools (arming of school teachers) as a viable solution to prevent school shootings.
“!”
Choreography and performance: Tamara Williams
“!” is dedicated to the lives lost to the senseless violence of racism, misogyny, and homophobia. Austin bombing victim Draylen Mason and murdered Brazilian activist and councilwoman Marielle Franco were victims of such acts in early 2018. This work honors their integrity, strength, and ongoing influences in society. “!” originates from Bantu languages of South and West Africa- used today throughout continent and the African diaspora: a click of the tongue, used to express resistance, disagreement, or disapproval.
Pícaro, pedazos de un camino (Pieces of a Journey)
Physical theater, movement, spoken word and music performance: Carlos Cruz
Music composition and performance: Shamou
Pícaro, pedazos de un camino features excerpts of an evening length show. Pícaro is the story of Lazarito, a 13-year old boy from Guatemala, who is forced by circumstances to leave his family and hometown. His one salvation, “The Land of the Free,” is a potential gateway to a better life. Lazarito embarks on this perilous, treacherous journey north towards the “Promised Land.” Elements of contemporary circus arts, physical comedy, masks, magic, music and the audience playing the role of accomplices will serve as the main vocabulary for the re-telling of this classic tale.
Reunion of Kindred Souls
Dance and Music performance: E.E.Balcos + Shamou
This structured improvisation demonstrates the present moment magic that can happen anytime and anywhere. “The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the object it loves.” -Carl Jung
It’s five o’clock somewhere (selections)
Choreography and performance: AGA Collaborative (Gretchen Alterowitz, Alison Bory, Amanda Hamp)
It’s five o’clock somewhere is the third dance in a series of works exploring our participation in and experiences of a multitude of achievement-based systems. Following placed (2015) and win. place. show. (2016), which emphasize drive and progress, this work aims to consider, offer, and create alternative ways of approaching the world.