Tandem Dance Concerts Showcase Original Choreography by M.F.A. and B.F.A. Students

The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Department of Theatre and Dance and Kennedy Theatre present Co-Motion, welcoming back the first live audience for a dance concert in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre since February 2020. These two dance concerts, collectively titled Co-Motion, showcase original works created and performed by graduate and undergraduate student dancers and choreographers.

The outpouring of interest and creativity has populated two separate dance productions (Co-Motion: Blue and Co-Motion: Green) that will take place during a shared weekend. Live in-person performances blend dynamic contrasts of styles and themes throughout each of the concerts. Co-Motion will be performed for limited live in-person audiences March 25-27, 2022 at 2pm and 7:30pm. Tickets range from $8-$18 for each program (Blue and Green) offered. Line-ups for each program and performance times are available on the website: manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/comotion.

The separate dance programs (Blue and Green) of Co-Motion feature a variety of distinct dance pieces highlighting a wide range of imaginative and innovative student choreographies including contemporary, ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and hula. A mix of culminating thesis works created by candidates for the Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Dance will be showcased as a part of each production.

Wallpaper Resistance, choreographed by Carla Guajardo explores the difference between over-sexualization and sexual celebration. According to Guajardo, the piece, "examines the ways in which ideas of hyper sexualization are rooted in Euro-centric and Puritan values and challenge those ideas in ways that mirror the #MeToo campaign." Mind's Eye, choreographed by Katelyn Wyatt brings a diverse and otherworldly creation to the stage with mystery, imagination, and curiosity at its creative core. SSRI by Dulcinea Sabin explores, "how people's brains work and challenges the audience to question or take note of their own thoughts throughout the piece." The Dances Unseen by Greta Pearse brings mental health to the foreground. Pearse notes, "The dancers give a visualization of how different mental health struggles manifest within us." Speculation by Erika Sanchez is an exploration of biomechanics and mental responsiveness to specific emotion driven prompts to bring a deeper understanding of the choreographed movements. ʻŌhiʻa Lehua by Holly Chung blends hula and western contemporary dance. Inspired by a short play written by UHM alumna Melisa Orozco Vargas entitled E aha 'ia ana ka ʻōhiʻa lehua? or What's Happening to the ʻōhiʻa lehua? The dance is a response to Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Disease (ROD) currently plaguing Hawai'i's beloved ʻōhiʻa trees.

In-person tickets for Co-Motion are $8-$18 each. Tickets for the two dance concerts are sold separately and are available to purchase online 24/7 at showtix4u.com/events/kennedytheatre. Contact the Kennedy Theatre Box Office for assistance by calling 808-956-7655 or via email at ktbox@hawaii.edu. For more information, visit the show webpage at: manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/comotion.

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