Choreographer Showcase: Poetry in Motion

Last year’s award-winning Choreographer Showcase was performed in an empty Roberts Theater, but this year our dancers captivated a live audience with their athleticism and dynamism, and storytelling this November 19. Our Wyverns workshopped with five local choreographers in hip hop, contemporary, ballet for a tour de force, bringing one pillar of our Strategic Vision of local community partnerships to fruition.

 

The nine numbers, each one unique and stunning in their own right, were performed by either the students themselves, the choreographer and/or local dance company, or a combination of both. Running the gamut from formal to contemporary, the show opened with “Have I Mentioned Today”, a lovely romantic ballet piece about young love with two KO dancers followed by the quirky, jerky robotic hip hop “Groove with Me” performed by Lili St. Amand. Working with Immix Dance Partnership, our students danced to the music of Patsy Cline, and the troupe itself also performed to a melody of Cline’s hits. Savana Jones and accompanying dancer Chantal Jones delivered a powerful dance full of strong emotions highlighted with dramatic red chiaroscuro lighting effect which enhanced the dance’s impact. The audience particularly relished the upbeat performance “Alone”, punctuated with freestyle movements, locking and popping, and fluid style boogaloo. “Gray Scale”, moody, mournful, and modern, saw eight KO dancers fluidly move across the stage” while “Autumn”, choreographed by Rachael Gnatoski, was ballet at its finest with magnificent glissades, arabesques, and ciseaux. Lastly, “The Power of Human Connection” with the accompanying music “Rise Up” was a dance of renewal, especially after the experience of lockdown.

 

 

“Have I Mentioned Today”

Choreographed by Kyle Reynolds

Music: “Nicest Thing,” Kate Nash

Dancers: Frank Pu, Anna Tippner

 

“Groove with Me”

Performed by Lili St. Amand

Music: “Lite Spots,” Kaytranda

 

Immix Dance Partnership

Choreographed by IMMIX

“Day Dreaming, Crazy, Kentucky Moon, Back in Baby’s Arms”

Music: Patsy Cline

Dancers: Alida Lamagna-Kendall, Meghan McDermott, Cristine Perry, Alida Lamagna-Kendall

 

“Walkin” 

Choreographed by IMMIX

Music: “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Patsy Cline

Dancers:  Alida Lamangna-Kendall, Shoshanna Levy, Alice McClure, Meghan McDermott, Azul Montiel,  Christine Perry, Faith Potter, Avery Schiff, Morgan Siegel, Anna Tippner

 

“Mo’ Wiser”

Choreographed by Savana Jones

Music: “Mo’ Wiser,” Sons of Kent

Dancers: Savana Jones, Chantal Jones

 

“Alone”

Choreographed by Lili St. Amand

Music: “Nouvelle Era, Clozee, East Coast Riddim, Master Mind X DJ Blue”

Dancers: McKenzie Campbell, Shosanna Levy, Frank Pu, Zaire Ramiz, Alex Segal, Avery Schiff 

 

“Gray Scale”

Choreographed by Rachael Gnatowski

Music: “Prospectors Quartet,” Johnny Greenwood

Dancers: Nidhi Bhat, Drake Fernald, Alice McClure, Azul Montiel, Faith Potter, Avery Schiff, Morgan Siegel, Anna Tippner

 

“Autumn”

Choreographed by Rachael Gnatowski

Music: “Autumn,” Beethoven

Dancers: Rachael Gnatowski, Stephanie Kellog, Victoria Manning, Lucy Shultz

 

“The Power of Human Connection”

Choreographed by Ronnie Bowman

Dance Supervision: Savana Jones

Music: “Rise Up,” Andra Day

Dancers: Shoshana Levy, Alice McClure, Azul Montiel, Faith Potter, Frank Pu, Avery Schiff, Victoria Tang, Anna Tippner