Review of UW-Whitewater Dance Company's Dancescapes 2007

In the Barnett Theatre on Monday, March 12, 2007, the UW-Whitewater Dance Company displayed their annual DanceScapes performance. The choreography was showcased by creative and innovative students, who are minors from UW-Whitewater's Dance Company. The assorted, stimulating and inspiring concert brought together a diverse group of talented young women and men, also.

The first performance was choreographed by Teri Rouse, "Accumulated Adversity", with music by Imogen Heap. The black and white costumes were designed by Denise P. Ehren, each dancer wearing either capris, shorts, pants or skirts with varied tops, as well. Twelve dancers expressed a divide between their colored costumes, which could be taken as the segregation of blacks and whites, however, one couple - each of the opposite color - seemed to disagree with the division and wanted to unite. It was almost a wordless performance reflecting the dilemma between the famous Romeo and Juliet or the modern West Side Story.

The eighth performance was choreographed by Barbara Grubel, "Path (2007)", with music by Christian Cherry, U of Oregon - Eugene. She wore a sundress and night gown for a costume, designed by Marshall Anderson. Barbara Grubel was the only dancer in this piece and she expressed a letter written by Jeanne Colwin, read by Jim Butchart and Leslie Fitzwater. A video was also included of a Barbara walking into a lake and Jeanne (Amy Segal) walking along a path in the forest. The props used were two laundry baskets, a clothesline and several cloth sheets. The light used formed an angelic and, yet, ghostly beam around the dancer as she moved, expressing an unknown anguish and eerie feeling of death.

The ninth and final performance was choreographed by Dani Kuepper, "Virtue/Vice", with music by Pierre Certon. The costumes were velvet royalty-type, designed by Dani Kuepper and Marshall Anderson. And there was a red-lighting in the background, designed by Stephen Chene. The eight dancers ballroom-danced around the stage in elegance and grace, then almost rebelling against the European traditional ways of dance, they stuck out their tongues at the Queen and poked fun at her and the traditional dance. It was like the Americans rebelling against the British once they came to the U.S. and Britain still wanted to rule.

Throughout the rest of the performances there was music by Kronos Quartet, System of a Down, Zap Mama, Christian Cherry, Neil Pearse, Kevin Volans and Moby. There were also costume designs by Amber Hayes, Marshall Anderson, Denise P. Ehren and Elizabeth Eisenmenger. Even lighting designs by Rob Kulpa and more. Not to mention the outstanding choreography by Jennifer Welty, Morgan Foley, Lorice Ratas, Jennifer Gabriel, Robin Petterson and Jill Cody. Dancescapes '07 was truly a memorable event for all to see!