Dance performance to highlight theme of restricted movement

Whether they are exploring the claustrophobic dynamics of a train car or the inventive acrobatics of concession-stand workers, members of the Windfall Dancers Company challenge audiences’ perception of space and confinement in their upcoming show, “Edgy Things in Small Spaces.”\nThe show started Saturday and will run again at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Rose Firebay at the John Waldron Arts Center.\nDirector Kay Olges said the purpose of this project is to challenge the preconceptions many have about dance. \n“In general, we think of dance as taking up a whole stage,” she said. “We want to show dance and movement in a different way and that it can work under new constraints.”\nEvery aspect of the show reflects the theme of restricted movement. From the “panic entrance” that funnels the audience into the Firebay to the 90-person capacity performance area itself, the Windfall team demonstrates the capacity of the human body to navigate into smaller spaces.\n“Contemporary dance itself was a backlash against the rigidity of ballet,” Olges said. “In this project, we think of edginess as something which pushes ourselves to think in different ways.”\nLaura McCain is one of the dancers participating in the production. McCain, who also works as a University Information Technology Services user support specialist for IU, said there is no one message the show attempts to convey.\n“We give you bits and pieces to let you decide what it’s about in the end,” she said. “Initially, edgy was just supposed to represent things that weren’t so traditional, but it’s expanded to include other things.”\nBut the theme of this particular production is not the only non-traditional aspect of Windfall dancers. Unlike other dance organizations, the Windfall Dancers Company is a not-for-profit modern dance collective, which essentially means every member has an equal voice in the company’s artistic direction. Adam Noble, an associate professor in the Department of Theatre and Drama, said Windfall provides a creative outlet for interested in the arts.\n“This is just community dance. Its focus is different,” he said. “Windfall is very inclusive, collaborative, and everyone has a voice.”\nTo develop new ideas for an upcoming show, members of the company brainstorm ideas and then discuss them with the rest of the dancers, choreographers and directors. When planning for the current production, dancers tried to think of words they associated with “edgy.”\n“I remember we mentioned ‘jagged,’ ‘anxious,’ ‘nervous’ and ‘uneasy,’” McCain said.\nWindfall’s collective process not only develops a sense of unity within the organization, but also helps to inspire creativity within its members. “Edgy” is a product of the dancers’ ideas and ingenuity. Olges said that as challenging an endeavor as this was, the dedication and creativity of the dancers allowed the show to achieve its purpose.\n“Any dance is an expression, just like a piece of art or literature,” she said. “This show is about challenging the audience to think outside the box.”