Utah Dance articles published in 15 Bytes, Utah’s Art Magazine.
On Sunday June 2, ChitraKaavya Dance presented Manubhuti – Being Human at the Jeanne Wagner Theater. The program’s five offerings brought together a multigenerational cast of performers steeped in classical Indian dance forms. It struck me how elucidating it can be to see young dancers and older dancers […]
Last month, on May 21, more than 300 people rallied at the Utah State Capitol to protest the growing numbers of bans on abortions. A large banner, held by three people at the top of the stairs inside the rotunda, stated “Stop the War on Women.” So far […]
Queerness is essentially about the rejection of a here and now and an insistence on potentiality or concrete possibility for another world.” — José Muñoz How might writing about a queer (an adjective) festival queer (a verb) ideas and expectations surrounding arts criticism? What if the writing resisted […]
Last weekend, Deseret Experimental Opera staged “Life Relegated,” a rock opera written by Jacob Rosenzweig and realized with a community of local musicians and dancers. The location was an out-of-the-way address inside The Gateway — the old Urban Outfitters, now a vast cement hall. It was filled for […]
A Collection of Beauties, presented by Municipal Ballet Co. under the direction of Sarah Longoria, was a concise, aesthetically driven, and immersive experience. Utilizing The Clubhouse (formerly the Ladies’ Literary Club), the show was committed to the classic, rose-colored-glasses ideals of the 1920s and 1930s. From the soft, […]
What is contemporary dance? As a dancer, I have encountered this question more times than I can count; Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company (WCDC) attempted to answer it with Nerve and Sinew. The performance spanned multiple techniques and featured pieces by both established professionals and emerging artists. I appreciated […]
The future of ballet may very well look like the third annual Choreographic Festival presented by Ballet West, only more so. The performance itself was breathtaking. The sheer range and breadth of artistic perspectives, institutional development and support, and scaffolding of public engagement made it an unforgettable experience. […]
There are countless frames in this dance, walls that rearrange themselves, curtains and doors that close — a hazy story about a hotel where tall tales are told. Memories of an audition. A history lesson. Ponce de León and the Fountain of Youth. There’s definitely a heroine: Gertrudine, […]
The following is a reflection on creative process by Salt Lake City choreographer Karin Fenn. Fenn’s new work Girl Child, will be performed May 16, 17 and 18 at the Salt Lake Arts Academy Black Box. Tickets are $15 at the door or online. Girl Child is a […]
Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s Bloom featured two new works, one by artistic director Daniel Charon and one by University of Utah professor Stephen Koester, as well as a piece by Tzveta Kassabova (2010) that Ririe-Woodbury first performed in 2016. The concert was well formatted, with Charon’s dynamic and daring […]
Watching Repertory Dance Theatre’s Voices, a show that reiterated the company’s theme this season of “Manifest Diversity,” was a distinct pleasure. Nearly every piece was preceded by a video featuring the choreographer, or re-stager of the original choreography, providing a glimpse into their intent and process, which I […]
Even though John Cranko chose the title Onegin for his ballet based on Alexander Pushkin’s verse-novel, I find its power resides in the dancer playing the role of Tatiana. It is her transformation, from withdrawn and innocent to forthright and assertive, that makes the story so compelling. For this reason, […]
Plush Panoply was the second show to take place at the newly redefined Gateway this weekend, this one in the since-vacated, former Build-a-Bear store. Plush Panoply was an evening of solo works created by local female-identifying artists. Having now seen a number of performances in the space, I […]
After a few years of struggling to reinvigorate community interest, The Gateway is finally finding itself, as a home for a surging independent art scene. The former outdoor mall’s empty storefronts, which have become host to the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival, provide unique performance venues for all […]
Kathy Adams has been a dance reporter for two daily newspapers over a cumulative 20 years. She tells us “there have been few opportunities to write in depth about jazz or theater dance.” So after discovering Nick Palmquist’s class work on Instagram and later watching his rehearsal with […]
Internationally acclaimed artist Danielle Agami is a considerate host. Agami is also the founder and artistic/executive director of Los Angeles-based dance company Ate9, in addition to being a renowned choreographer, a Batsheva Dance Company alumna, a Gaga movement research instructor, and a masterful, incredibly expressive dancer. Each of […]
At the end of HEARTLAND (+ Dance Party), Molly Heller addressed the crowd, thanking us for exploring the many experiences of the heart together. “We entered into this time with the understanding that the heart is already whole,” she said. In this brief moment, Heller acknowledged the completeness […]
“Anything is possible once enough human beings realize that the whole of the human future is at stake.” The words of Norman Cousins, American activist and peacemaker, echoed over and over in Jessica Lang’s “us/we.” A farewell piece for her company, Jessica Lang Dance (which is currently on […]
