‘Piece by Piece’ to simplify modern dance

“Piece by Piece: A Collection of Dances,” opening Sunday, will combine several short interpretations of modern dance, set to eclectic tones ranging from spoken word to video game soundtracks.

Contributing choreographers and graduate students Justin Zuschlag and Abigail Alyn Rich have worked alongside Selene Carter, a contemporary dance professor, to bring modern dance, in all its forms, to audiences.

“We picked the name ‘Piece by Piece’ because we thought it would be a good introduction to modern dance,” Zuschlag said. “It is like a buffet of modern dance that flows pretty quickly, where each piece can represent different styles in one show.”

The concept is intended to create a show that will reflect the works of the choreographers as well as something unique and eccentric that will appeal to a younger audience, Zuschlag said.

The choreographers tackled the task of creating their own personal interpretation of modern dance.

Rich incorporates poetry in her piece, Carter’s features an interactive, improvised solo, and Zuschlag’s choreography combines classic opera and new mainstream music. Zuschlag said each piece will last between four and 10 minutes, whereas standard routines can last up to 45 minutes.

“We wanted to show the audience that under this one performance, there is a variety of modern dances, and each piece is inspired by lots of different things,” Rich said.

The majority of the performers are IU contemporary dance majors, but Zuschlag said other, non-dance majors, such as communications majors and a Pilates instructor, will perform.

The choreographers asked friends in the community as well as numerous volunteers to dance in the production, Rich said.

“I personally picked dancers that I knew,” Zuschlag said. “We use a lot of the dancers I had auditioned and we all knew and liked.”

Rich said she and the other choreographers hope to create future performances, and that they are always looking to present arts to the community.

“I want to make this a tradition because it is a different voice for modern dance,” Zuschlag said. “I know this style can be intimidating for people because the concepts are always stressful to understand.”

The choreographers and dancers hope to make performances easy and enjoyable for a younger audience to watch, Zuschlag said.

“It is all about young people in their mid-20s dancing through our eyes,” Zuschlag said. “It is our own take on things.”