This was my first time seeing a dance show. I was blown away. I thought I knew what to expect walking into this event but the incredible variety and creativity that I was witness to was truly remarkable. The title and central theme of the performance, Becoming Untethered, was presented in a myriad of ways throughout the piece. From what I could tell, the seniors representing the work each performed a solo piece and then choreographed a longer dance for a larger group of performers of which they were not one. The performance opened with one of these solo works which showcased the struggle of a dancer, slowly breaking away from the strict confines of her ballet shoes into a freer form of expressive movement. There were many other notable parts of the performance. One included a solo that was, quite frankly, a bit unsettling to watch, but I felt that this was the dancer’s goal, as she moved with an almost primal persona, twisting and contorting, and ultimately, rushing toward the audience as the lights blacked out. I almost took a message of disturbed body image from this performance, as the girl seemed almost to be eating her own arm, may have represented a dialogue on eating disorders. I’m not sure I would have been wanting to sit in the front row for that performance but it was certainly evocative, that’s for sure. I was also incredibly intrigued by the group performance where a girl seemed tethered to both her chair and her a static screen projected against the back wall. I can’t be sure, but I took from this piece a statement on our society’s obsession with things like television and drugs and the need to be liked by others. The dancers did a wonderful job of conveying this message, the identically-dressed dancers somehow always excluding the sole dancer in different clothes. Overall, the performance was incredibly well-developed, exploring complicated themes through choice of music, costumes, and of course, movement. Seeing one girl unable to escape the clutches of repetitive, compulsive movement, even as her fellow dancers attempted and slowly stopped trying over time to cease her actions was difficult to watch. But this later become resolved as, in a following piece, she was finally able to be led off-stage by a fellow performer. It was so interesting to me, how complex, how emotional, how varied these stories could be that are told only through one’s body. Each dancer and choreographer clearly had a vision that was brought to life through their own creativity and the incredible skill of those that embodied their work. These seniors and all those other dancers involved should be incredibly proud of the work that they presented. I doubt if anyone in the audience could have left without still thinking about what they had just witnessed.
PREVIEW: Ann Arbor Symphony – Beethoven 9
Destress from finals week and join the Ann Arbor Symphony on Saturday, April 27 at 8 pm in Hill Auditorium for a program including Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphony and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony!
While Ludvig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor is one of the world’s most performed symphonies, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9 in E-Flat Major is an abstract piece of music that is a work in its own right.
This performance is on the Passport to the Arts, so pick up a voucher for a free ticket! Passports may be redeemed at the door on the night of the event. For more information, visit https://a2so.com/events/beethoven-9/
PREVIEW: Martha Graham Performance
The Martha Graham Dance Company has come to Ann Arbor for two nights! The dance company is giving two different performances this Friday and Saturday night at the Power Center. I am going to the Friday night performance where Martha Graham will be performing four different dances with different choreographers. The first is Secular Games by Martha Graham herself, the second is Deo by Maxine Doyle & Bobbi Jene Smith which was co-commissioned by UMS, the third is Lamentation Variations by Aszure Barton, Nicolas Paul, and Larry Keigwin, and the last dance is I Used to Love You by Annie B. Parson. The Martha Graham Dance Company is the original, American modern dance company. There will also be a Q&A session after the performances with the dance company. I am really excited to see modern dance live. Ballet Preljocaj was fantastic but it interpreted ballet in a far more modern fashion than expected. I’m curious to see what similarities and differences there are between the dance stylings of the two.
REVIEW: Sweeney Todd
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street took the stage of the Power Center, and everything about it was absolutely thrilling and spectacular in the grandest sense. Comparable to a Broadway production, SMTD has outdone themselves again.
Jamie Colburn was an impeccable Sweeney Todd, capturing his rage and thirst for vengeance with every scowl and word. Allie Re’s performance of Mrs. Lovett exceeds words, as she embodied her quirky character just perfectly. Her facial expressions were extraordinary, showing the complexities and intricacies within her. The classic number “A Little Priest” ended the first act with a humorous, witty delight as Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd come up with their genius and delicious plan. Together, Re and Colburn stole the show.
The supporting cast and ensemble were splendid as well. Blake Roman as Anthony in “Johanna” and Emma Ashford as Johanna in “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” brought powerful vocals to the stage, matching each other beautifully later in “Kiss Me.” Aaron Robinson pulled off Pirelli’s difficult part with ease, and Spencer LaRue played the precious, innocent Tobias, performing one of my favorite numbers, “Not While I’m Around,” beautifully. The Beggar Woman, played by Cydney Clark, fully captured the craze and hysteria of the streets of London. Sondheim’s score is creativity at its peak, but the entire cast and pit nailed this challenging musical.
Aside from the phenomenal acting and singing, everything about this production was stellar. The props were amusing and delightful, from Mrs. Lovett’s delectable meat pies to Todd’s barber chair that disposes of his victims in a humorous fashion. The choreography of this production was particularly stunning. You normally don’t think about Sweeney Todd as a choreography-heavy musical, but the ensemble quickly changed that notion as they came out during the opening “Ballad of Sweeney Todd” and established the ominous nature of this musical with an intensely choreographed number. In “By the Sea,” the pairs of dancers in their outfits and umbrellas evoked Mrs. Lovett’s dream in a very visually pleasing way.
Probably what was most notable about the performance I saw on Sunday was the fact that at the beginning of the second act, Colburn got his hand caught in the barber chair and his pinky fingernail got ripped off. However, like a true actor, he kept singing in that moment, went offstage to wrap it and apply makeup, and then he continued the rest of the show like a champ. Colburn took this bloody and gruesome musical to new levels with his personal experience, and that is certainly to be applauded.
Sweeney Todd was spectacular on every single level, from the lighting to the musical to the costumes to the choreography to the props to the singing to the acting. This was a wonderful performance to finish the year off with, since everything was perfectly executed.
PREVIEW: Avengers: Endgame
Marvel fans, the time is finally upon us. A year after Infinity War, its follow-up, Endgame, is projected to mark the end of a very long Marvel era and the dawn of a new one. The transition has been going on for a few years now, with newer installments like Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman: Homecoming, and Black Panther beginning to take over the stage from the original core band of heroes. Captain Marvel made history only last month as Marvel Studios’ first female-led superhero film, and the first female-led superhero film ever to gross over $1 billion worldwide. Captain Marvel, played by Brie Larson (Unicorn Store), is expected to play a vital role in Endgame as the remaining heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe rally in a last-ditch effort to defeat intergalactic villain Thanos once and for all.
Endgame was directed by brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, who were also at the helm of Infinity War, and features an all-star ensemble cast. It comes out this Thursday, April 25th, and will be playing at the State Theatre, the Quality 16, the Ann Arbor 20 IMAX, and Emagine Saline.
REVIEW: SpringFest
This past week marked the annual SpringFest capstone event hosted by MUSIC Matters. Founded in 2011, MUSIC Matters purpose is to “utilize the power of music to unite the Michigan community and promote educational accessibility.” The organization spends the entire year hosting various events on and off campus to promote music and create cohesion amongst students. SpringFest is their culminating project that attracts an audience of 10,000 people for their daytime and nighttime events.
This year, the Daytime festival took over State St. and North U., hosting over 80 student organizations, 7 food truck vendors, live performances, and various pop-up shops. One of the newest additions to this year’s Daytime festival was hosting Ann Arbor artisans. Traditionally, corporate sponsors were invited to have pop-up shops but this year focused on inviting smaller companies and student sellers. Aside from this addition, the festival included live dance and music performances from student organizations such as Maize Mirchi, the Men’s Glee Club, and FunKtion. Another component of the festival that I personally enjoyed was the presence of various orgs that promote health, wellness, and sustainability. There were interactive events for yoga, sustainable food practices, and CAPS even had representatives from their CAPS In Action student committee. It was really inspiring to see so many talented, ambitious, and creative students showcasing their work and talent to the campus community.
Following the immersive Daytime festivities is (what I believe to be the more known of the two) the Nighttime Concert. Since 2012, MUSIC Matters has hosted artists Common, J. Cole, 2 Chainz, Migos, and Lil Yachty in Hill Auditorium. As a junior who is also a big fan of well-known hip-hop artists, this was surprisingly my first time ever attending. This year’s headliner was A$AP Ferg, otherwise known as a member of A$AP Mob. Amongst some of Ferg’s most popular songs are Plain Jane, Shabba, New Level, and Work REMIX. His opening acts consisted of two DJs and two performance groups.
The first DJ was Jeff Basta. Had it not been for him being the DJ to play as people were still entering the auditorium, I think he could have gotten a lot more energy out of the audience. I really enjoyed his music choice and his energy while playing was admirable considering not many others were entertained/paying attention. The second DJ was Namix who served as a transition for the first opening act — Tracy Money (IG: prodbytracy). “TracyGang #333” is a group of three current and former U-M students who go by the names of $cottie Pimpin’, Fatz, and Tracy D. Although this was not my first time seeing them perform, this was my first time seeing them own the stage in a large auditorium. Their performance got the crowd on their feet and ready for the night.
Following Tracy Money was B Free from Detroit. I could be biased, but my personal preference for style, originality, and overall entertainment purposes would choose Tracy Money over B Free’s performance. Nonetheless, both performances were a well-needed segway into opening for A$AP Ferg.
Ferg was full of energy and was an authentic performer. You could sense his desire to be just as engaged with the audience as we were with him. However, this desire quickly led to some shockingly inappropriate comments on his behalf targeted at several women in the audience. I think it’s reasonable for a performer to want to feel more connected with the audience and interact with them but to single specific women out and express sexual desires in front of everyone, into the microphone, was embarrassing and disgusting. The remainder of the concert left me feeling odd and distraught as I was stuck questioning “Did he really just say that”?? Carrying on, he performed all of my favorite songs and it was a fun concert. I’m certain that this will be remembered as one of my favorite undergraduate experiences, despite the belittling comments that put a damper on my overall impression.
Photos courtesy of IG: vinsanityproductions.co
