Celebrate the vast landscape of dance with eXpanZ, in Rodey Theatre, University of New Mexico Center for the Arts, for four shows only. Performances are Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 4 at 2 and 6 p.m. This exciting evening of dance is a showcase for UNM dance faculty choreography and highlights the student talent in the dance program. The performance includes works by five faculty choreographers, including Celia Dale, Marisol Encinias, Alex Ossadnik, Jennifer Predock-Linnell, Karen Price, and features the work of guest artist Stacy Matthew Spence.
Photo: Stacy Matthew Spence
Spence received his BA in Dance from Loretto Heights College in Denver, where he was also on faculty at Regis University. He received his MFA from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. He will be working with students in the dance program at UNM creating a piece titled “Adjusted Space” to the music of Four Tet.
“Falling through the Crack” by Jennifer Predock-Linnell is a work-in-progress. This is a preview of a full evening’s dancework to be performed in May as part of the Wild Dancing West Festival. It is a collaborative, exploratory project between Predock-Linnell, the composer Panaiotis, digital photographer Joy Neimanas, co-choreographer Meredith Black, lighting designer Bill Liotta and nine dancers.
All are equally invested in the development and presentation of this project. The piece explores the word crack; through implied psychological, environmental, cultural, social and emotional notions of what it means in different contexts both intimately and publicly.
Karen Price choreographed a hip-hop piece titled “Recycled from the Streets.” Presented in four sections – first, military/gangster, second, men dancing for a woman, third, a dance for women alone, and the last section is pure fun! Price employs music by Bassnectar, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake and Wade Robson.
Karime Amaya choreographed “Tientos” for Festival Flamenco Internacional for the university flamenco performance ensemble, Alma Flamenca. Amaya lives in Madrid, but was raised in Mexico City. She is the daughter of Mercedes Amaya, and the niece of the great Carmen Amaya, who revolutionized flamenco dance during the middle of the 20th century.
Faculty member Marisol Encinias has done an arrangement and re-staging of the piece. Alma Flamenco consists of seven dancers from UNM and six dancers from the community. The piece features 13 women. Musicians for “Tientos” include Ricardo Anglada, Vicente Griego, Eva Encinias, Joaquin Encinias and Marisol Encinias.
“Between Lines” is an abstract ballet choreographed by Alex Ossadnik to music of Phillip Glass. With a cast of 10 women and four men, it explores classical ballet movements in expanded forms that are in conversation with the music: emotions, shapes and patterns emerge “between the lines.”
Celia Dale choreographed a piece to music by Hector Villa-Lobos. Her piece, “Uru Puru,” is based on a mythological Brazilian bird that transforms into human shape. It was inspired by Villa-Lobos’ score that evokes the Amazon jungle. Dale is working with young modern Dancers from the UNM Dance Program.
Ticket prices are $15 general admission, $10 faculty and seniors, $8 UNM staff and students. Tickets are available at the UNM Ticket Offices located at the UNM Bookstore, Central and Cornell, or the Arena (The Pit), University and Avenida Caesar Chavez. Tickets may be purchased online at www.unmtickets.com, at tickets.com outlets or by calling (505) 925-5858.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu