Dance performance inspired by current events

Author: Ellen Grafton

Artist-in-residence and Artistic director of the Middlebury Dance Program Amy Chavasse along with members of the Middlebury Dance Company, gave a preview Tuesday afternoon of their upcoming performance, "Enemies." The preview included an informal presentation of two pieces from the show and comments from Chavasse and the students regarding the artistic process behind the show.

"Enemies" explores the idea of enemies through a mixture of dance, text and visual elements. The usually black floor of the dance studio is covered in white to lend itself to the light projections designed by Sue Rees, an internationally recognized artist and faculty member at Bennington College.

The visuals were described by Chavasse but not shown at the preview. One of the visual elements that will be used is a projection of "The Walrus and the Carpenter" by Lewis Caroll, animated by Sue Rees and narrated by artist-in-residence Alex Draper. Chavasse said she chose to include that piece of animation because she has always "found the story to be a strong example of betrayal."

Chavasse explained that "Enemies" was inspired in part by her personal reaction to the release of the photographs from Abu Ghraib. The cruelty done to other human beings by people who shared a nationality with Chavasse made her question whether she could have done the same thing in those circumstances. It then led her to question the very idea of an enemy. Chavasse said she asked herself, "How do you become a person who can think of someone as so inferior and subhuman that he becomes an enemy that you do things to?"

Chavasse, known for her irreverent commentary on current events, opens the work with a dynamic solo that investigates the concept of enemies. Company members will also perform a revised version of "I Will Spare You," a quirky and kinetic quartet with an original score by Middlebury College Music Director for Dance Michael Chorney that was first presented in 2003. Following that, the New York-based company Everything Smaller will join DCM to perform "Spatula Sound Check," a humorous duet originally created and performed in 2001 by Chavasse and former Middlebury College Visiting Artist in Dance and Theatre Peter Schmitz.

The first piece previewed was the solo opening piece by Chavasse. Through a mixture of text, dance and music Chavasse explores what an enemy is, what makes people enemies and whether it is human nature to have antagonistic relations with others. Chavasse invites the audience into these ideas, challenging them, saying "Be my enemy tonight, just for a little bit." Her text in the opening piece draws largely from the recently released National Security Archives.

The Archives invesitgated claims made against the United States that they had tortured Iraqi prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison camp.

The second piece that was previewed featured student members of the Middlebury Dance Company Colin Penley '06, Kate Elias '06, Hannah Giles '06, Adriane Medina '08 and Martha Ann Underhill '07. Featuring the music of Sammy Davis Jr.'s "I've Gotta Be Me," the dancers moved sometimes in unison and sometimes in competition with each other, exploring the various tactics and types of enemies through dance. The piece was partly inspired by surveys given to Middlebury Campus students about the nature of enemies. Chavasse noted that "one of the students, when asked to define an enemy, said that they are 'People with whom you are most alike.'"

When asked how the pieces are choreographed, the dancers explained that the process is largely collaborative. "We use core phrases that we learned from Amy and then we work with them," said Kate Elias '06. Chavasse agreed, and explained that many of the basic phrases in the performance come from the original auditions, and jokingly referred to one of them as the "Shakira phase."

"Enemies" will be performed Friday, January 27 and Saturday, January 28 at 8 p.m. in the dance studio at the CFA. Tickets are on sale at the box office for $5.

In addition to this annual performance, the current DCM tour includes travel to Arizona State University (ASU) and Prescott College to perform, present workshops and participate in classes with Dance Arizona Repertory Theater, from Jan. 31-Feb. 9.

Their visit includes performing and working with students at Herrera High School in Tempe, Ariz. The company will observe rehearsals by ASU graduate students in preparation for their Emerging Choreographers Concert and offer classes in improvisation. The group will also rehearse at the Nest Dance Sanctuary in Jerome, Ariz., beside Mingus Mountain.