Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance will wrap up the fall 2023 semester with this year’s Fall Dance Concert, Hover, with artistic direction from Darby Wilde. The concert will consist of five unique pieces, featuring choreography from Kyle Ayers, Jessica Deahr, Greg Merriman, Laina Reese, and Darby Wilde.
Ayer’s piece titled “Into the Ring” functions as a continuation of his research on classic modern dance techniques, specifically the Limón technique—a technique created by José Limón in the 20th century which focuses on the relationship of breath and weight with the fluidity of movement—and how it “can be utilized to produce percussive sound.” The piece is inspired by boxing, and Ayers notes how his dancers provided “structured improvisation” to create a simulation of fight choreography.
Deahr’s piece is titled “Gargouille.” Her inspiration comes from gargoyles, those monstrous, winged statues carved from stone that are used to decorate buildings. Gargoyles symbolize defense due to folktales of them animating during the night to protect their building from evil spirits before turning back to stone in the daylight. Deahr says that gargoyles have a “fun dichotomy to play with because they are simultaneously creepy yet protective beings.” She also worked with her dancers to develop the unique personality of the gargoyle they were portraying.
Merriman’s piece is titled “Romantic Deconstruction,” which, as the title suggests, deconstructs the elements of ballet during the Romantic era. Dancers will present those elements “in a new way” that represents “the dancers of today,” according to Merriman. He is also very grateful for the hard work that his dancers contributed to his creative process.
Reese’s piece titled “Mother Tongue” is inspired by motherhood, particularly the “memory, love, and labor of our village of woman ancestors.” Her piece encompasses “the journey and joys of overcoming” of these women, and her goal is for the piece to embody those stories and dreams that live through us. According to Reese, her dancers were fully invested in contributing to her creative process, and they acted as fellow researchers and collaborators throughout that process.
Wilde’s piece is titled “Underpinnings of the Unsettled,” and she uses “the human experience with interpersonal relationships and personal struggles” as the inspiration for her piece. As a part of the creative process, Wilde gave her dancers prompts which they then responded to with movement phrases. They also had the chance to experiment with weight sharing in order to help create partnered moments in the piece. “The dancers also bring the work alive with their artistry and personal connection to the work,” said Wilde.
When asked how she finds balance in being the artistic director of the concert while also having her own work in the show, Wilde talked about the difficulty of finding such a balance, but that it was a rewarding experience because of the creative process and collaboration of all those involved in the production. “My work is part of a larger consideration of making the concert an overall experience for the audience,” she said.
Hover will be performed at the Center for the Performing Arts Theatre on December 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. as well as on December 2 and 3 at 2 p.m. The performance run time is approximately 1 hour.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office on the campus of Illinois State University, by calling (309) 438-2535, or through the box office website.
If you need accommodation to fully participate in this program, please contact the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at (309) 438-2535. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.
