Before performing “Kavin Kaati — in the beautiful forest,” the dancers huddled onstage in Ruth N. Halls Theatre during the Saturday dress rehearsal. They were laughing and taking pictures before eventually getting a group photo with the choreographer, Dr. Prathiba Natesan Batley.
After more pictures, laughs and affirmations from the audience, the lights dimmed and the theater fell silent. The performance was about to begin.
For a lot of the dancers, this was their first time performing on a stage with a live audience since before the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago.
“There's a lot of enthusiasm from the dancers,” Natesan Batley said. “You can see that from the way they were hooting and supporting each other.”
The Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance will premiere “Earthward,” the winter dance concert Dec. 10-11 in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre. Shows will be Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
This year, the dance concert is titled “Earthward”. In director Elizabeth Shea’s note to the audience, she said the pieces in “Earthward'' explore multiple relationships between bodies and the ground through thought-provoking choreography and performance.
The winter dance concert showcases dance faculty and guest artist-choreographed dances. The concert features sophomores, juniors and senior undergraduate students in the IU Contemporary Dance Program.
This concert is a learning experience for the dancers, but also for the students who work on technical aspects like lighting, costumes and stage management, Shea said. This concert is something everyone has been working on since the semester started in August.
Natesan Batley said she incorporated Bharatanatyam, an ancient Indian classical dance form, into her choreography as she is primarily a Bharatanatyam dancer. She was thrilled to work with the dancers and see their dedication and energy, she said.
“In an ancient text in Bharatanatyam we talk about what are the 10 qualities of a good dancer, and one of the most important qualities they say is Shradha: devotion or dedication to the dance floor,” Natesan Batley said. “They just did it over and over and over until they got it to the place where we wanted it to be.”
“Earthward” will present seven performances featuring different dance styles and personal themes from faculty choreographers and two guest choreographers.
Act 1 begins with “Crossroads in Conversation” by Beatrice Capote followed by “Villanelle” by Selene Carter and “LABOR” by Baba Stafford C. Berry, Jr.
After a 15-minute intermission, Act 2 will start with guest artist Natesan Batley’s “Kavin Kaati — in the beautiful forest.” This is followed by “Counterpole” by Shea, “Reflections” by Robert F. Burden, Jr. and ends with “Beclouded” by guest artist Cameron McKinney.
Specific information, credits and program notes for each performance can be found in the “Earthward” Production Program on the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance website.
Shea said the performances in “Earthward” are an amazing celebration of humanity.
“It’s more than just watching pleasing shapes and bodies moving across space,” Shea said. “There is a joyousness and exuberance of our very being and I think people will feel full when they leave the theater.”
Tickets are available on the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance website.
