Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Dance is pleased to announce this fall’s production of MaDaCol (Mather Dance Collective). Performances are on November 19 - 21 at 7:30 pm at Mather Dance Center, 11040 Bellflower Road, on the Case Western Reserve campus in University Circle.
MaDaCol, one of the university’s oldest undergraduate student organizations, offers an important creative outlet for CWRU graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, staff, and greater Cleveland community members. This year’s program will feature an exciting selection of dance works choreographed by Richard Oaxaca, Antonio Morillo, and Carrie Langguth.
Still With Me – A Dance About the People We Meet Along the Way
Through his choreography, Richard Oaxaca, explores the quiet, unpredictable connections that shape our lives. The alluring and repetitive notes of a cello draw the audience in with each sweep of its bow, setting the scene for the audience to ponder what it truly means to see another person in the midst of a crowded world. The performance of the dancers in this group work mimics the relationships in our everyday lives- connecting, losing touch, and reconnecting, as statuesque figures move in and out of space. Who do we choose to walk beside? Who reaches for us? It's a reflection on the fleeting and enduring relationships that accompany us through life—and the possibility that, even after we part, someone can remain with us in ways we never expected.
Ceremonial Stirrings
Antonio Morillo combines his choreography with electronic percussion and synth sounds in this group work to create a contemporary abstract following a tribe and their ritual dances. Ritual dances are sacred movements performed to invoke spirits, pray for rain or bountiful harvests, heal the sick, or commemorate significant life transitions. But as their ritual dances go unanswered by the gods, the tribe grows desperate- eventually resorting to violence and revealing the combative nature that lies within humanity. Stretching and carving movements accelerate and grow in intensity as dawn turns to dusk, with the passage of time, as communicated through the lighting design. An intentional lack of color represents the barrenness of the tribe’s current state...depleted, as the audience watches the degradation of a society.
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In this group work by Carrie Langguth, there is a clear divide amongst the dancers that compose two groups: the hunters and the prey. One moves with large movements, clearly asserting their dominance. Meanwhile, the other with smaller, faster movements…skittish. The qualm between the two groups is enforced through the color palette of the piece. This anxious and panicked scene that unfolds leaves the audience with the question, “will the hunted survive?” all while contrasted with the melodic sounds of a solo electric guitar.
Tickets
All tickets are $15 and may be purchased at Mather Dance Center prior to each performance. Cash or check only is accepted upon purchase. Early arrival is suggested due to limited seating. No reservations and no advance sales will be made. For more information on the department, please visit https://case.edu/artsci/dance/.