Sonoma State Star > Arts & Entertainment
Sonoma State dance department celebrates a legacy of 'dancestors'
Published: Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Updated: Wednesday, May 5, 2010 02:05
Last weekend, Sonoma State dancers and friends premiered a show in honor of forty-year faculty member and mentor Nancy Lyons. The entire show is directed and choreographed by Nancy herself in collaboration with her dancers, making this performance a truly personal experience.
The pieces were pulled from Nancy's previous works and performances, all of which are just as unique as they are impressive.
The show begins with "Emergency Measures," inspired by the post 9/11-hysteria surrounding air travel and homeland security. The typical pre show announcements flow smoothly into an emergency procedures preparedness drill you will probably never see on a normal flight.
What with the flashing lights, glow sticks and, oh yeah, great dancing, "Emergency Measures" not only paints a picture of a period of time but also has the savvy to poke fun at it. It is a refreshing and appropriate start to an eclectic show.
"White Pause" is indicative of a classic ballet piece, but still stays true to the style of Sonoma State's modern program. The dancers were dressed in clean white and silver, some adorning tool skirts and others, vests. They demonstrated not only balance and flexibility, but also strength. The choreography is light, as are the dancers, and the overall feel is of friendship and playfulness.
One of the largest pieces in the show was inspired by a trip to the Galapogos Islands, as all of the dancers represent three different types of "Peculiar Species." Lyons has captured the nature of each animal through movement and translated it to the stage. The three completely different styles of movement come together with expert synergy.
One piece comes directly from the 2009 Spring Dance Concert, "Body Closet." Created from several attempts at cleaning out her closet, Lyons has created a beautiful representation of the relationship between young girls and their clothes. Everything from fear, resentment and joy can be evoked from something as simple as an old top and the memories associated with it. The five dancers explore what their closet means to them, and more importantly, how to deal with what they find.
The show concludes with "Roots and Offshoots: An intergenerational project in the sustainability of dance," which becomes less of a dance and more of a mini production. Lyons makes her second appearance of the night, but this time in full academic robes to lecture the audience of the history of dance. Do not let the word "lecture" fool you. What Lyons does can hardly be considered "lecture" as she sings and leaps across the stage, even including a prehistoric mating dance. Her personality and energy outshine every wrinkle on her face.
Her lecture morphs into a final piece with Sonoma State dancers in collaboration with high school dance companies and SSU alumni.
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