Spring Dance Concert Spotlights Original Works of Seven Student Choreographers

The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Department of Theatre and Dance and Kennedy Theatre present Spring Footholds: Merge. This dance concert showcases works created by seven graduate and undergraduate choreographers featuring student dancers.

It is characterized by dynamic contrasting themes and inspirations ranging from NASA's Space Shuttle Program, connections between contemporary dance and Japanese martial arts, exploring the internal paradox of brain functions for someone suffering from bipolar disorder, to more light-hearted pieces focused on joy, happiness, positivity, and many more. Guided by dance concert director and UHM Dance Faculty member Pei-Ling Kao, this production celebrates the culmination of years of dance study and creative exploration through diverse movement practices.

Spring Footholds: Merge will be performed in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre on April 5-8 at 7:30 p.m. & Saturday April 8th at 2:00 p.m. There will be a Post-Show Q&A with the choreographers following the Friday April 7th show. Please note that there are no Sunday performances for this production.

The four undergraduate dance choreographies featured in this production include Sofía Isabel Sanna's piece outdanceyourmind, a fast-paced contemporary dance inspired by Sanna's desire to create a feel-good piece for both her dancers and the audience to simply enjoy. Those That Remain, by Nani Marcos, shows how even if a person is lost, they still exist through cultural beliefs, emotional attachments, lessons learned, and presences felt. Anna Asano's piece 柔 Juu explores the connection between the Japanese martial art of judo and contemporary dance.

Asano notes, "The Japanese word 柔 which translates to 'gentle' or 'flexible' can describe both the martial art and contemporary dance demonstrated throughout the piece." Hannah Archer shares that her piece, We Are The Cosmos, "is a celebrations of Blackness and a creative juxtaposition of my definition of blackness with the stars and cosmic matter." Her piece is set to an audio recording of an original spoken word monologue that Archer wrote.

The three graduate student works will be showcased in the performance starting with The Simple Things by Jean Carlo Carrio Mendez which highlights and gives movement and expression to the gender roles that exist in our current society. Continuing the theme of the cosmos and space, 135 Flights of Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour by Hannah Morrow brings her love for outer space to the stage by turning mathematical formulas from NASA's Space Shuttle Program, each symbol and number, into physical movements. While Paradox, by Alaina Cota, is an exploration of how the brain functions for those suffering from bipolar disorder type 2 - audiences will witness Alaina's interpretation of one manic depressive episode from inside the brain.

Spring Footholds: Merge is a dance concert highlighting exemplary dance student choreographies as well as showcasing current UHM Dance majors and minors. It is a celebration of creativity and expression embodied on the stage and will close out the Kennedy Theatre 2022/23 season.

Tickets for Spring Footholds: Merge range from $8-$18 and can be purchased online 24/7.

For more information and link to purchase tickets visit: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/footholds/ Contact the Kennedy Theatre Box Office for assistance by calling 808-956-7655 or via email at ktbox@hawaii.edu.

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