CJ Day
Staff Writer
The University of Wyoming Theater and Dance Department will present Spring to Dance,this weekend, a culmination of a semester’s worth of work.
The program, Spring to Dance, will include six works choreographed by five different people, and will feature more than 25 performers.
“What makes this performance different from ones we’ve done in the past is that there’s a wide range of styles we’ll be performing,” said Hannah Ellis, one of the performers in the program.
Ellis said that while UW’s dance program tends to focus more on modern dance and ballet, there is more going on in this performance. Three guest choreographers will be presenting their work, each with a variety of influences that are not commonly seen on the UW stage.
The other three works are original compositions from UW faculty. Cat Kamrath, an assistant professor with the department, will be presenting two original works. This occasion is a special one for Kamrath, as it will be the first time she presents her work at the university.
“When you create new work, it becomes as much about your personal voice as anything,” said Kamrath. “A choreographer is a sort of visionary, they have their hands in everything.”
This is Kamrath’s first year at UW, and she has already endeared herself to many of the students studying under her. Dance student Nina Murphy praised her mentorship, and said she felt Kamrath welcomes more input from the performers than other choreographers she has worked under. That sense of camaraderie is one of the best parts of doing dance, Murphy said.
“We’re all one big family,” said Murphy. “We’ve got all the family dynamics. I hardly get homesick when I’m doing dance, because it feels like I have family here.”
Ellis echoed Murphy’s remarks, saying that because dance is such a collaborative art form, those that participate form stronger bonds.
That does not mean dance is without its setbacks. Murphy and Ellis said they have found it hard to find a balance between work, class and dance. Murphy works 14-hour days to support herself, and Ellis struggles to find time to work on her other major when the season is in full swing. However, both have found ways to cope with the pressure.
“We’ve [gotten] really good at multitasking,” said Murphy. “I guess dance just tends to attract the type of person who loves being busy.”
One of Ellis’s biggest irritants, she said, is people who judge her for her choice of major. She said she gets a lot of criticism from people who do not understand why she would choose to major in dance rather than a more “useful” degree. She has spent a lot of time thinking about her response.
“I guess I’d just say that as long as you’re doing something you’re passionate about, it doesn’t really matter,” said Ellis.
Murphy agreed with Ellis, and added some input of her own.
“Like, haters are gonna hate. It’s about pride (and) knowing you’ve done something well. I don’t do it for the money,” she said.
Many people dislike dance because they do not understand it, said the two performers. Unlike music or theater, where it is pretty easy for a layperson to know what is going on in the performance, dance has a reputation of being too hard for people without knowledge in the fine arts to understand. However, Kamrath disagrees. Dance is not just the territory of rich people with monocles, she said.
“Anyone can understand dance, because it’s so physical. It’s a different experience than watching something on TV, because you’re seeing these dancers in 3D space,” she said. “When you watch, you’ll be feeling something. Tune into what you’re seeing and feeling.”
For those interested in attending, the performance is on March 6, 7, and 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts.
