“Global Perspectives” bridges world cultures

When thinking of typical weekend activities in Bloomington, Chinese, Brazilian, Japanese and African dance don’t usually come to mind.

The Indiana University Dance Theatre’s “Global Perspectives” production presented dance from around the world to Bloomington audiences Friday and Saturday at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre. The Annual Faculty and Guest Artist Concert featured traditional and contemporary dances representing themes within a global community.

“Global Perspectives” presented works by influential modern dance choreographers David Parsons, Bill Evans and Ma Gulandanmu, a visiting professor from China, along with pieces by IU faculty choreographers Elizabeth Shea, Selene Carter, Iris Rosa and George Pinney.

Each of the nine works was derived from different parts of the world and illuminated different themes.
From traditional Chinese folk dances to American modern dance, audiences witnessed a variety of foreign and relatable perspectives.

Professor Iris Rosa, director of IU’s African American Dance Company, said she incorporated dance of the African and Cuban diaspora into her piece, “Unfinished Journey,” to depict larger themes all viewers could relate to.

“You don’t have to be African-American to understand this piece,” Rosa said. “Everyone has a journey and hasn’t finished. People find themselves moving from one place to another and moving through different phases in their life. It is always an unfinished journey for people.”

Senior Annamarie Hosei said she noticed various social topics, including the pressure to conform to normalcy and domestic abuse, within the dances. She also said the connectivity of the dancers and their movements told these stories.

“It was like you couldn’t tell when one body ended and when another began,” Hosei said. “The stories showed people isolated, at times, but simultaneously fighting together. It really made me stop and think.”

Elizabeth Shea, director of IU Contemporary Dance in the School of Public Health, said her new choreographic work “All Into My Arms” reflected the global community of women and cross-culture violence toward them.
The piece, inspired by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s book “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” began with a female duet and ended with a large group of
dancers.

“The duet could have been any two people from opposite sides of the globe, but their shared circumstances unite them,” Shea said. “It was about women around the world sharing the same experiences and offering support. It reflected sisterhood and the idea of communal support.”

The final piece of the show, Parsons’ “Nascimento Novo,” was a light-hearted contrast to the previous choreographic themes. Energetic leaps, turns and Brazilian style drum beats filled the theater.

“It is always good to put an uplifting piece at the end of the show,” senior Lalah Hazelwood said. “The Brazilian dance and music was energetic and exciting. The whole show is about community in the global climate, so I think that this piece reflects the community of Brazil.”

Junior theatre major Helen Cappannelli worked backstage on “Global Perspectives.”
“This show goes beyond just showing off the dances and technique of the IU Contemporary Dance Program and really shows their artistry and diligent, creative process,” Cappannelli said.

Shea said she hoped audiences were able to see the significance of dance, as well as appreciate the hours of work the IU Contemporary Dance Program, which is celebrating its 85th anniversary, has dedicated to this project.

“I hope that people see that dance is one of the most expressive ways of communication,” Shea said. “Dance can transcend cultures and ideas. It is the universal language.”