What? A performance of Layla and Majnun by the Mark Morris Dance Group, presented by UMS
Where? Power Center for the Performing Arts
When? Thursday October 13 at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday October 14 and 15 at 8:00 pm
How much? Starting from $30
Why? The Mark Morris Dance Group is one of the most well-known dance companies in the world, and this September is their world premier of Layla and Majnun, a tragic and beautiful Persian love story. It is a performance not to be missed.
by Kim Sinclair
One of the many wonderful things about new technology is that it can lead to entirely new genres of art. Performance animation is one of those genres.
First, we were introduced to two blank screens. Then, a flash of light and color as animated landscapes splashed across the screens. A silhouette stepped into view, and we watched it interact with the buildings and plants and animals that appeared. At times the message was a clear narrative, while at others it was more of a series of dreams transposed on top of one another. If that makes the show sound trippy in any way, then good, because it absolutely was trippy.
Miwa Matreyek is a multi-talented artist currently on tour performing the two pieces that formed this week’s Penny Stamps event. “This World Made Itself” seemed to be more of a love story, although love was by no means the only theme. The juxtaposition of her gigantic form with a city skyline, and her interaction with a tiny animated figure, had strong allusions to King Kong.
Her second piece, “Myth + Infrastructure,” dealt with the biggest themes possible: the birth and death of the world, modernization, death, life, and the interaction of mankind with the natural world.
Time and again we watched Miwa swirl through bodies of water, capture and free flying insects, blend in and become one with the Earth.
Several times it was like a magic show. The audience and I reacted with awe when Miwa sprouted wings out of thin air and her arm melted away into a swarm of white petals. “How did she do that?!” the people next to me exclaimed as they recorded the performance for their Snapchat stories. I wondered the same thing as I too recorded a clip for my story.
Shows like this are rare opportunities, and I strongly encourage you to see the show in Ypsilanti on Friday, October 7 if you can.
You can get a small taste of the performance in this TED video here.
What: The Penny Stamps Speaker Series Presents Miwa Matreyek’s Dreaming With Your Shadow, a piece that blends animation with a live stage performance. If the image above doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.
When: October 6th at 5:10 PM
Where: Michigan Theater
Price: FREE. This is one of the many wonderful opportunities you can and should take advantage of at U of M!
This was the 17th annual Culture Show put on by the African Students Association, and after weeks of hype and social media frenzy, the Michigan Theater was filled to capacity.
Comedian standup comedian Foxy P took the stage and did not hesitate bringing up diversity. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him complementing the diversity in Ann Arbor, as he told us a story about walking into a barber shop downtown and having his hair cut by a white guy named Tim. This story and every other time he came on stage was filled with an energy that kept the audience filled with passion.
There were no bad performances. Whether it was the Amala dancers flowing across the stage, the Uprizin Steel Drum Band reminding us of warming weather, or a blisteringly frank spoken word poem by Adedolapo Adeniji, the audience was on the edge of its seat.
Two standout dance performances by the Michigan Center for Capoeira and the Zuzu Dancers book-ending the second half truly made the Africa Show a worthwhile experience. Not only were the dancers shaped like bodybuilders, but we watched them flip and spin and fly through the air as if they were superhuman. The Zuzu Dancers especially condensed several acts into a short performance that deserved a standing ovation at the end.
Spaced at different points through the show was a fashion show. This was a reminder of Africa’s wide range of cultures and dress, as well as a reminder of how beautiful its people and clothing are.
Like the Fusion Show put on by ASA months before, the Culture Show was something that can only truly be enjoyed in person. This time, at least, there will be a video available of show online at 1Africa. For future reference, this is not an event to pass up when it comes around again next year.
The annual dance concert by the Department of Dance, Currents and Crossings made me realize that dance is such an interdisciplinary genre of art. While many aspects of dance are associated with performing arts, dance is a form of visual art at the same time because dancers constantly use their bodies, props, and costumes to “paint” the scenes on stage. Dance can also incorporate many other types of arts to stimulate audiences’ senses, such as music, visual arts, and engineering.
Out of the four dance pieces performed that night, I found the first one — “Into the Wind” — most intriguing. In addition to the eight skillful dancers, this piece incorporated flute and percussion improvisers, two paintings, a poem, interviews with the factory workers, and a “wind data sonification” system to present its unique atmosphere. This seemingly random combination of arts reflects its unique background — “Into the Wind” was premiered near the grounds of the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, the groundin which renewable energy initiatives replaced the Continental Motors engine factory. As such, the dancers represented both natural and industrial sides of this story, by depicting the factory workers in one scene and the wind moving freely in another. While the props such as draping fabric and beautiful soundtracks helped create these scenes, the dancers’ artistry really made these scenes happen vividly.
This concert was a testament to how dance can serve as the bridge between all art forms. Although the School of Music, Theater, and Dance tries to encourage collaboration between these art forms, it’s a shame that the Department of Dance tends to be underrepresented in the SMTD community. (Case in point: there was only one act that featured in the Collage Concert last month, whereas there were many music acts and some theater acts.) I can’t wait to see what other shows they have in store for us, and what collaborations they are thinking of doing.
Currents and Crossings is a concert of modern dance by the School of Music, Theater, and Dance. The main piece in this performance is going to be Brisk Singing (1997), a lyrical and energetic dance set to excerpts of the opera Les Boréades by Jean-Philippe Rameau. The choreographer for Brisk Singing, Richard Alston, is acclaimed for his ability to respond to musical materials and to explore pure dance aesthetic. Other pieces in this concert are choreographed by the professors here at Michigan, and feature various aspects of nature — such as the African tradition of bottle trees and the elemental forces of wind. There are four chances to watch this performance this weekend. Even better, Currents and Crossings is on the Passport to the Arts so you can watch it for free! Don’t miss out! (Watch a trailer video here.)
WHEN: Thursday, February 5 at 7:30pm; Friday and Saturday, February 6-7 at 8pm; Sunday, February 8 at 2pm
WHERE: Power Center
TICKETS: FREE with the Passport to the Arts, or $10 with student ID. Get the tickets at the Michigan League Ticket Office!
