2008 Woodie Awards
Goucher's Weekend of Dance
Dancers in Action and Dancers Responding to AIDS Light Up Stage
Jordana Rozenman
Issue date: 12/10/03 Section: Features
The weekend of November 22-23 at Goucher College was an extremely delightful indulgence for any dance lovers who were lucky enough to see the various shows performed here.
From Thursday, November 20 through Saturday, November 22, students and residents of the area who crowded into Kraushaar Auditorium were treated to an extraordinary two-hour performance, Goucher's Fall Dance Concert, danced entirely by students who auditioned and rehearsed for months prior to the concert. The level of technique and ability seen during the show was deserving of much more than the seven dollars charged for a student ticket.
A mixture of ballet and modern dance, this year's concert contained much more ballet than last year's, the central piece being an excerpt from the second act of the famous ballet Don Quixote.
The leads in the Saturday night show were Mathew Heggem (as Don Quixote), Nicholas Pabst, Megan Lundeburg, Amy Ruggiero, and Lynne Bellinger, whose performance in the excerpt was dazzling. The caliber of the dancers and the overall quality of the show was extremely professional, including the beautiful costumes.
Says Ruggiero of the effort put into such a stunning performance, "We started rehearsing Don Quixote back in August. I am not sure that everyone who comes to the concerts really realizes how time-consuming the preparation can be, but, at any rate, I feel so fortunate to be able to do what I love onstage."
Other ballet highlights included "Doppelganger," an intimate duet of endless bourrées performed by Caitlin Kolb and Rebecca Purser, and "Arabesque," a pas de deux with Pabst and Ruggiero dressed in black, each trying to outdo the other.
"Three Sisters," choreographed by Kathi Ferguson, was a portrayal of the complicated relationship between sisters, the three parts shared throughout the three shows by Mallory Clark, Shana O'Brien, Emily Herren, Lisa Rook, and Bellinger.
The two modern pieces in the concert were also excellent. The first, aptly called "First Light," was choreographed by Juliet Forrest and evoked images of nature and growth. This original piece included a searching and hopeful poem written by Goucher's own Jonathan Jackson and read by John Curry.
From Thursday, November 20 through Saturday, November 22, students and residents of the area who crowded into Kraushaar Auditorium were treated to an extraordinary two-hour performance, Goucher's Fall Dance Concert, danced entirely by students who auditioned and rehearsed for months prior to the concert. The level of technique and ability seen during the show was deserving of much more than the seven dollars charged for a student ticket.
A mixture of ballet and modern dance, this year's concert contained much more ballet than last year's, the central piece being an excerpt from the second act of the famous ballet Don Quixote.
The leads in the Saturday night show were Mathew Heggem (as Don Quixote), Nicholas Pabst, Megan Lundeburg, Amy Ruggiero, and Lynne Bellinger, whose performance in the excerpt was dazzling. The caliber of the dancers and the overall quality of the show was extremely professional, including the beautiful costumes.
Says Ruggiero of the effort put into such a stunning performance, "We started rehearsing Don Quixote back in August. I am not sure that everyone who comes to the concerts really realizes how time-consuming the preparation can be, but, at any rate, I feel so fortunate to be able to do what I love onstage."
Other ballet highlights included "Doppelganger," an intimate duet of endless bourrées performed by Caitlin Kolb and Rebecca Purser, and "Arabesque," a pas de deux with Pabst and Ruggiero dressed in black, each trying to outdo the other.
"Three Sisters," choreographed by Kathi Ferguson, was a portrayal of the complicated relationship between sisters, the three parts shared throughout the three shows by Mallory Clark, Shana O'Brien, Emily Herren, Lisa Rook, and Bellinger.
The two modern pieces in the concert were also excellent. The first, aptly called "First Light," was choreographed by Juliet Forrest and evoked images of nature and growth. This original piece included a searching and hopeful poem written by Goucher's own Jonathan Jackson and read by John Curry.