Contemporary Dance Program shines

Dancers turned, jumped and contracted their bodies across the stage of the John Waldron Arts Center Auditorium Sunday during “On the Verge,” a concert presented by the IU Contemporary Dance Program. Produced wholly by students, the show featured the choreography of eight senior dancers who are soon to graduate.\nThe concert began with “Surface to Air,” choreographed by senior Dustin Stephan. This piece, set to the music of The Chemical Brothers, was an up-tempo dance that incorporated mostly underclassmen and a few seniors. The concert then transitioned to “Another Look Harmony.” Choreographed and performed by seniors Richelle Steiner and Dustin Stephan, and featuring freshman Brianna Wieclaw, the fluidity of movement on stage was apparent. The trio flowed to the melodic music, and the piece concluded with Stephan getting pulled in different directions by Wieclaw and Steiner. \nNext was “Who Knows Where the Time Goes,” which explored the notion of time, and was choreographed by senior Emma Bausback. The astounding piece, set to the music of Nina Simone and featuring four dancers, was the eye-catcher of the night. The piece opened with a dancer lying on the floor under a blue spotlight, her raised arms moving in a ripple motion. The movement of the dance, whether done as a solo, in pairs, or all together, was absolutely beautiful, and the piece concluded with the dancers twirling in circle. It made for a lovely ending.\nDances set to a spoken soliloquy from William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Composer John Cage’s “Bacchanale,” titled “Verge of Space,” gave the concert a different twist. The soliloquy piece, which was spoken by junior Esther Widlanski and danced by junior Carly Gessin, was choreographed by senior Lauren Weber. The dance made good use of the space as the leaps and falls of the movement transcended from one end of the stage to the other. The quirkiness of “Verge of Space,” choreographed by Brynne Mitchell, was captivating. The piece consisted of a plethora of non-traditional dance movements such as vertical jumps, handshaking and head nodding. The length of the piece created a sense of slowness, which both helped and hindered the piece.\nThe final piece featured each senior showcasing his or her ability through up-tempo solos, with the group finishing the piece in unison. The next performances for the IU Contemporary Dance Program will be the annual faculty and guest artists concert Jan. 11 and 12 at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre.