IN APPRECIATION OF,,,
DANCE
Story by Liza Holtmeier Photograph by Matt Miller
Have you ever jumped up and down at a foot
ball game, cheering your team on to victory?
If you have, then you've danced.
Have you ever slammed a door, thrown a
book or hit a pillow when you were frustrated or
angry?
If you have, then you've danced.
Dance is communication through move
ment. .And while the above actions may seem
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matic pirouettes and
leaps of the Bolshoi
Ballet dancers, they
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“Dance is something everyone does whether
they are aware of it or not,” said Lisa Fusillo, pro
fessor of dance at the University of Nebraska
Lincoln. “Dance is natural and instinctive. It is
fundamental to the human being. People forget
that it is a part of everyday life.”
Dance has always been one of the primary,
fundamental art forms. Practically every cul
ture has or has had some form of dancing.
People dance to socialize, to celebrate and to
express emotion.
In America, dance has ranged from the cer
emonial dances of American Indians to the neo
classical ballet of New York City Ballet.
America has given the world such notable
dance artists as Isadora Duncan, Martha
Graham, Maria Tallchief, Jerome Robbins and
Alvin Alley. America has also provided a haven
of artistic freedom for foreign stars like Mikhail
Baryshnikov and Alicia Alonso.
Dance has played an evolutionary role in the
history of America, mirroring the artistic and social
changes of a developing nation. From the social
dance lessons of Irene and Vernon Castle in the
early 20th century to the athletic antics of Pilobolus
since the 1970s, dance has sought to explore and
explain the roles each of us play in society.
But despite the rich heritage of dance in
America, people continue to be intimidated by
the art form.
“I think there is a fear of the unknown in
very general terms,” Fusillo said. “People who
have no experience playing a musical instru
ment will avoid that when they are older. As
children, we are more open to exploration and
discovery. As we get older, we channel those
energies into things we know.”
But, as the saying goes, you are never too
old to start dancing.
The important thing to realize about dance
is that it is a participatory art form. While it’s
wonderful to watch others dance, you can only
truly appreciate movement once you’ve tried it
yourself.
And once you start, you will see it affect
every area of your life.
“Dance is one of the best disciplines that
anyone could undergo,” said Charlotte J f_
Adams, director of the UNL dance program.
Adams said dance enhances self-con- 0 F J
fidence, promotes creative thought and
provides a sense of accomplishment.
“Dance really taps into the learning abilities
of the individual. It is an art that is a part of our
bodies,” she said.
Fusillo added that dance provides a sense of
logic and order that can be applied to everything
in life - including calculating taxes.
However, Fusillo warned that beginning
students in dance should learn to work at their
own pace.
“As a young adult, don’t compare yourself to
anyone else in the class. Dance is an individual
art form. It is your body. Take things at your own
pace and don't get frustrated,” she said.
Adams emphasized the importance of find
ing a teacher with whom you connect. She said
each class should be an eye-opening experience.
In addition to taking class, Fusillo said,
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as many perfor
mances as they
can, not just
r Q A I- II Q T I I o groups specmcai
L^A rUOILLU iy billed as dance
PROFESSOR ^P8
“Go see
1ANCE ‘Smokey Joe’s
Cafe’ and the
Cirque Eloize,” Fusillo said. “It’s all movement.
It’s all choreographed.”
The most important thing is to approach
dance with energy and curiosity.
Martha Graham wrote in her book “Blood
Memory” that she didn’t look for perfection at
the beginning of training. She wanted passion,
eagerness and enthusiasm for life.
These are the qualities dance celebrates.
“iT IS AN ART THAT IS A OF OUR BODIES. ”
I t r» * C i ■ r- t i i
Venues
UNL Department of Theatre Arts and Dance
The dance program presents two evenings of dance per
semester. The first concert generally consists of works
choreographed by faculty members and guest artists and
performed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln dancers an
guest artists. The second is a more informal concert
consisting of works choreographed by UNI
dancers in their composition classes. To find
out about the dates for these events, call the
Temple Box Office at (402) 472-2073. jlfc
The Wagon Train Project
The Wagon Train is known for bringing cu
ting-edge choreographers to the Lincoln are
Not only does the Wagon Train offer perfo
malices, its season consists of two to three re^
deucy projects with companies such as Dav
Dorfman Dance. These residency projects off
an opportunity for dancers of all ranges and abii
ties to expand their dancing knowledge. For mo
information, call the W'atjon Train at (402) 43.
7776.
The Lied Center for Performing Arts ^
The Lied Center's dance offerings range froi ■
season to season. Some years are more traditiona 1
Some are more contemporary. Regardless of style,
the companies that perform are usually first-class an
nationally-known. Past highlights include America:
Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and th
Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre. For information on dance
events, call the Lied Center box office at (402) 472-4747.
Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company
The Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company is a company of
27 dancers and 13 apprentices who perform mainly classi
cal ballet. The company does an annual performance of
“The Nutcracker” each December at the Lied Center as well
as a spring concert. The company often brings in guest
artists to choreograph their shows and to teach master class
es. Past guest artists have been from the Colorado Ballet,
the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago and the Kirov School in
Washington, D.C. For information on coming perfor
mances, call the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company at (402)
477-8446.
Ballet Omaha
If it's a full-length ballet you want, look to Ballet
Omaha and its partnership with the Dayton Ballet from
Ohio. The Dayton Ballet presents four ballets a year in
Omaha through the administrative help of Ballet Omaha.
The productions are usually full-length ballets like “Romeo
and Juliet” or “Swan Lake,” but the company occasionally
performs an evening of divertissement ballets. For more
information, call Ballet Omaha at (402) 346-7332.
Omaha Modern Dance Collective
OMDC is an organization uniting modern dance chore
ographers and dancers across the state. The group offers
classes, performances and workshops. OMDC’s biggest
event is its fall concert. Choreographers from across the
state audition their works for this performance.
Performances are generally held in the Lied Center on the
Creighton University campus. For more information, call
OMDC at (402) 551-7473.
Creighton University Dancers
Like UNL’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance,
Creighton presents a series of concerts each semester. The
concerts usually feature Creighton dance majors as well as
guest artists and range from classical ballet to modern. For
more information, call the Creighton Performing Arts box
office at (402) 280-2512.
Wonder Wheels
Established by Omahan Stacey Wonder in connection
with Ballet Omaha. Wonder Wheels pairs paraplegic
Jancers with stand-up dancers. The dancers take
lasses together and also perform pieces
-'.oreographed specifically for them. Since
he company is relatively young. Wonder has
ot established an official performance sea
on. For more information, call the Ballet
\naha Box Office at (402) 346-7332.
MEGAN DANT, a fresh
man dance major at
the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln, will
perform with several
of her classmates this
weekend in “Last
Chance tc Dance."
Filmed Movement
Dance performances in the area can be sporadic, so
videos are a great alternative. Most video stores have a per
forming arts section with taped versions of ballets like
“Romeo and Juliet” and of dance compilations like “That's
Dancing.”
One of the best story ballets on film is the 1961 musical
“West Side Story.” With choreography by Jerome Robbins,
“West Side Story” provides the perfect balance between
dancing and drama. Robbins worked extensively with
American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet in addi
tion to his musical theater work.
For some of the best musical dance sequences on film,
look no further than Bob Fosse's 1969 film “Sweet
Charity.” Starring Shirley MacLaine in the title role.
“Sweet Charity” represents Fosse at his best and most
diverse. With numbers like “Big Spender” and “If My
Friends Could See Me Now,” the musical ushered in a new
wave of musical theater dancing with its provocative, play
ful, knock-kneed gracefulness.
The 1977 movie “The Turning Point” provides an
interesting look at the sacrifice and excitement of the dance
profession. It stars American Ballet Theatre icons Mikhail
Baryshnikov and Leslie Browne next to Hollywood stars
Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft. In addition to the
poignant yet funny story, the movie includes some beautiful
dance snippets with Browne and Baryshnikov.
Printed Matter
Dance Magazine is the definitive publication on
national and international dance. Printed
monthly, it provides its readers with the
'atest news, trends and discoveries
in dance as well as features, com
nentary and breathtaking photog
aphy.
For those interested in the evo
ltion of dance, “America
ances” by dancer/choreographer
gnes DeMille is an excellent intro
duction. DeMille’s coverage encom
passes centuries of the art form and includes everything from
the dances of American Indians to the birth and growth of mod
em dance. However, readers should be provided with one word
of warning: DeMille s profiles are very subjective. She covers
only the artists she herself finds worthy and interesting.
Another more-objective history of dance can be found in
Jack Anderson's “Ballet and Modern Dance: A Concise
History.” Anderson begins his book a little further back with
the ancient cultures of Asia and Greece. He then devotes the
majority of the book to a comprehensive look at the rise of bal
let. A short chapter on the beginnings of modem dance follows.
For matenal on the Internet, CyberDance (http://www. the
pomt.net/~raw/dance.htm) is the best starting point. Widi more
than 3,500 links, CyberDance can help you find sites on dance
companies, research, events and personalities.
Instruction
It’s never enough to sit and watch others dance. Dance is
contagious, and once you’ve seen it, you want to try it.
Luckily, most dance studios in Lincoln have adult class
es in ballet, tap, modern and/or jazz. The University of
Nebraska-Lincoln also offers dance classes through the
Department of Theatre Arts and Dance.
Social dance classes in Lincoln are available through
private studios, the UNL Campus Recreation Center and the
Department of Theatre Arts and Dance.