UA’s Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre Dives into ‘Swan Lake,’ Modern Jazz Pieces for Spring Concert

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama’s department of theatre and dance presents the Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre’s spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17-19 and 5:30 p.m. Feb. 20 in Morgan Auditorium on Colonial Drive in the UA Theatre District.

The first half of this semester’s concert features Act II of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” Choreographed by faculty members Rita Snyder and Qianping Guo, the newest member of the dance faculty from Beijing, China, “Swan Lake” Act II is restaged based on the original choreography of Lev Ivanov, long considered to be the standard. Snyder will also be offering the piece “Aeternum,” which will be presented at the 2009 Southeastern Region American Dance Festival.

“Mix” and “Looking for Maria” are two pieces staged by Cornelius Carter, the director of UA’s dance program. The first is a contemporary jazz piece, sure to engage and delight the audience. In “Looking for Maria,” Carter creates a modern piece featuring a stirring vocal track by renowned opera singer Maria Callas. Through the strength of his choreography and Callas’ moving voice, he explores the complexities of relationships; the joys, the pain, and the fact that both are an inevitable part of our lives.

Rounding out this year’s program is “Impasse” by Sarah M. Barry. Described as a modern, edgy piece, “Impasse” explores the pressures of being stuck and how to deal with being in a rough spot for a long time.

“Some people choose to give up, give in, or turn inwards toward themselves, while others try over and over again to get it right,” Barry says. “The music (by Jean-Yves Theriault) is kind of hard to listen to as it is pretty heavy with some screaming that builds. For me, it reflects the intensity of the situation.”

In the concert, the department’s most talented students breathe life into the choreography of the dance faculty. Presenting a range of work in which everyone will find something to enjoy, this spring’s concert features work that is born out of the lives and emotions of the choreographers The result is a concert that speaks to the audience on a personal level, attempting to connect with their emotions and reveal the common humanity connecting us all.

Tickets are $15 for adults ($13 plus $2 service charge), $13 for UA faculty, staff, and senior citizens ($11 plus $2), and $10 for students ($8 plus $2). Tickets can be bought from noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday at the box office in Rowand-Johnson Hall, by visiting www.crimsonartstickets.com or by phoning 205/348-3400.

The department of theatre and dance is a part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.