Program / Final Graduate Performance

  Embodied Movement Practices in the Performing Arts - Spring 2024

 

SOLO WORK

 1

  Breaking Free 

 Iliana Barcenas

Based on the text "Confinement", my solo includes a person who is inspired to break free out of their box, but like life, it is not a straight path. Some days she feels free and others it is like she is back to the start. I plan to portray being confined and what the beauty of breaking free can look like. 

 

 2

  It's Too Late

Isabel Breakey

This work tells the story of a young woman coming to terms with the end of a relationship. It shows her processing the finality of it all, looking for closure, and eventually settling into a feeling of acceptance and peace with the situation, knowing that what is meant to be will be.

3

"Synecdoche"

Choreographed and performed by Nicholas Finley

Text by Nicholas Finley

Synecdoche is a literary device in which a part is taken to represent the whole - this piece explores how a whole being is compressed and reduced to its constituent parts for study.

"The word synecdoche has a delightful mouthfeel - it's pleasant to say, try it. A mouth can feel many things, but it cannot by itself experience pleasure."

 

4

 I am enough

Josie Gore

 Choreographer: Josie Gore 

 Dancer: Josie Gore 

This piece represents a misunderstood woman who has been oppressed by both her family and society because her brain works differently than most people's. She is speaking her truth and being her authentic self free from any "mask". It represents a woman's journey in finding herself and learning to love herself despite all odds. She is finally realizing her worth after a lifetime of not believing in herself.

 

5

The Outside

 

Performer: Olivia Gray

Choreographer: Olivia Gray

Based on "Fine on the Outside" by Priscilla Ahn, this piece reveals the loneliness and lack of companionship a little girl had growing up. Despite this, she finds inner strength and resilience, not letting her lack of past friendships define her. It emphasizes the importance of human connection as a source of comfort and understanding. 

 

 

6

"Unrequited love" 

Performer: Abby Guido

Choreographer: Abby Guido

Synopsis: "Donna Elvira only truly wants one thing throughout her journey: to have Don Giovanni return her feelings of affection and desire to be in a monogamous relationship with her. This piece is the flooding of emotions between the anger she feels towards him and the need for him back in her life." 

7

 

 This Feeling

 

Performer: Cierra Hall

Choreographer: Cierra Hall

 

 "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey inspired my solo, which will be a story of grief after parting ways with someone you love. Breaking up with someone can be a very challenging ordeal. I plan to portray the different thoughts and emotions one might feel after a heartbreak. 

 

 

8

 

Love Again via Tension: The struggles of musicianship within burnout 

 Performer: Gabriel Harley 

Choreographer:  Gabriel Harley

This composition will dictate the developmental journey of a musician's burnout. Throughout each artists' journey, we succumb to the detrimental idea of burnout- the exhaustion of love that we once had for our craft/art. This dance will depict the strife, trauma, and courage of a former teacher's desire to grow and reconnect with their love for not only themselves, but for their future artistry. This piece will feature the text of Dua Lipa's "Love Again" and song of Tension by Kylie Minogue. 

9 

Ideas

Performer: Zachary Kusztos

Choreographer:  Zachary Kusztos

Based on excerpt from "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck, I play myself, and the solo is simply meant to be a reflection of thoughts and ideas I've had over the last few months.

 

10

 "Life Lessons"

 Performer: David Lee 

 Choreographer: David Lee 

Figaro is teasing Cherubino, a young page. Cherubino has just been appointed to join the army by Count Almaviva. The Count is doing this to separate Cherubino from the Countess. Figaro mocks Cherubino because he's leaving to join the military after being appointed by Count Almaviva. Figaro explains that in the army, Cherubino will have to follow strict rules and won't be able to flirt like he does now. He's teasing Cherubino about the significant changes he'll face in his life.

 

11

  "Circles of Sleeplessness"

 Performer: Yihan Li

Choreographer: Yihan Liu

Through this dance, I aim to express the feelings of those who struggle to sleep during the late hours of the night. In the quiet of the night, time continues to pass, yet the body feels trapped in an endless cycle of wakefulness. In the dim light, insomnia sufferers observe the shadows on the wall, listening to the ticking of the clock, embracing themselves.

 

12

 "Prze­klę­ta!

Performer: Robert Maciejowsky

Choreographer: Robert Maciejowsky 

Music: Michał Lorenc- Wieczory (Psy II soundtrack)

"Prze­klę­ta! Ty wy­dar­łaś ostat­nie go­dzi­ny Szczę­ścia mego na zie­mi, ty żą­dłem ga­dzi­ny Wy­gna­łaś na sa­mot­ność! Bądź wiecz­nie prze­klę­ta! — Każ­dy mój jęk — zna cie­bie, każ­da łza — pa­mię­ta! Bo kie­dy nie­szczę­śli­wy za­kli­na­łem cie­bie, Abyś mi dała nie­co przy­jaź­ni i ci­szy, Toś ty mi łzy w po­wsze­dnim po­da­wa­ła chle­bie, I ję­cząc — z ję­kiem w ser­cu mó­wi­łaś: Niech sły­szy!" - Juliusz Slowacki

The text explains feelings of the loneliness of the author. The author after separation with his loved-one is unstable psychically. He is expressing his depression through a characteristic sound of Polish words which revolve around the meaning of loneliness. Its only part of the text because of the difficulty with memorizing it. I am not a native English speaker; I am feeling more comfortable when expressing such great meaningful words in my language. My performance will oscillate around the expression of my feelings after coming from Europe, the difficulty of my new position in a different society, and struggling with adulthood. Hope that my movement, which I was practicing in class, will help in transmitting my current feelings. 

13

Struggle

Performer: Sarah Tsai

Choreographer:  Sarah Tsai

Music: Below - from Leprous

The dance is representing the girl's struggle of being the person she wanted to be and the person she really is. She lived in lies, imaginations, and expectations she created for herself, and at the end, she learned to love who she truly is.

14

The Cycle

Performer: Michael Wu

Choreographer: Michael Wu

The text "Dream Variations" by Langston Hughes inspired the embodiment of the never ending daily grind. I will portray excitement and energy during the day and contrast that with calmness and lethargy at night.

ENSEMBLE WORK

 

1  

"Power Rangers"

Choreographers: Yihan Liu，Zachary Kusztos, David Lee, Josie Gore, Nicholas Finley.

Dancers: Yihan Liu, Zachary Kusztos, David Lee, Josie Gore, Nicholas Finley.

Our dance is inspired by Power Rangers. In a group of five, each of us wears a different colored costume representing a superhero character. Through dance movements, we aim to convey the positive energy of each individual as a superhero, and when the five of us unite, we possess even greater power.

2

 Nightmare

Performers: Sarah, Cierra, Robert, Iliana, Michael

Choreographers: Sarah, Cierra, Robert, Iliana, Michael

In our performance piece, we will explore the experience of loneliness. Through a metaphorical representation, we'll traverse different stages where one might feel overwhelmed by solitude, whether by internal thoughts or outside influences. We want to offer a reflection that resonates with audience members. 

 

3

 "Unity" 

Choreographers: Abby Guido, Gabriel Harky , Isabel Breakey, Olivia Gray

Dancers: Abby Guido, Gabriel Harky, Isabel Breakey, Olivia Gray

"This piece is symbolic of the unity found as a collective, while still achieving individuality. We are all divas individually, but when we come together, we are even stronger."