Thursday, 5/8/97 The things they do The World Arts and Cultures
department uses video and live performance to capture life’s
humorous and touching moments in their student dance concert.
By Kristi Nakamura Daily Bruin Contributor In the darkness of
Theater 200 in the Dance Building, newly conferred master of fine
arts Julie Carson writhes on the ground, her body shaken with
convulsions. Three angels in white pajamas with sparkly halos and
small golden wings appear to embrace Carson as she transitions into
the next world. Dubbed "PJs in Heaven," the often lighthearted
scene is part of a rehearsal for the department of World Arts and
Cultures’ student concert of dance and video. Carson is a
participant, as well as the executive producer for the show. The
World Arts and Cultures department will present its student
concert, "The Things We Do," Friday and Saturday in Theater 200 of
the Dance Building. The show promises a unique composition of
student dance, theater and video projects. Nearly every aspect of
the concert is the work of students, including the lighting, sound,
and production. "This is the first time in a long time there’s been
a graduate and an undergraduate concert together," says first-year
master of arts Amy Vaillancourt, who is also a co-producer for the
show. "The department’s been shifting so much that we just ended up
bringing it all together." The combined graduate and undergraduate
format is not the only aspect of the student concert that has
shifted. In keeping up with technological advances, the concert
will present video work side-by-side with live performances. The
Pew Charitable Trusts recently granted support to UCLA’s World Arts
and Cultures program so that the department could begin research
into documenting dance on film, video and digital formats. Video
work is integrated into choreographic studies within the
department. Of the nine pieces that make up the concert, two are
videos. The creation of a video – shooting the footage, selecting
clips, cutting and editing – becomes something of a choreographic
process for students in the department. One of the videos was shot
and edited by Carson. The piece attempts to catch the
non-superficial essence and spirit of women. The video, set to
Stephen Sondheim’s "Pretty Women," is three to four minutes long.
Carson shot footage of various women in everyday situations and in
interviews, as well as dancing. Carson especially remembers filming
a tea party between a mother and her 3-year-old daughter. The
daughter poured the tea and she and her mother took the cups. Then
the daughter went to clink her cup with her mother before they
began sipping. Later, when the mother and daughter were in the
garden cutting flowers, the daughter walked up to the camera with a
lily for Carson. "There are just precious little things, like in
choreography when you’re trying to catch something and you’re
trying to choreograph it and all of a sudden somebody does it and
you haven’t choreographed it at all. It’s just something that
someone did and the same thing happened in the video," said Carson.
Unlike film, painting, or other visual arts, dance is a medium of
the moment. But video technology allows dance to have a wider and
longer lasting impact. The UCLA World Arts and Cultures department
is on the cutting edge of this technology. The other seven pieces
that make up the concert are all live dance and theater
performances. The producers look at these as works in progress, the
only constants being the music and lighting. "I have a theater
background," says Vaillancourt. "Coming to do this sometimes I look
at it and go, ‘It changes every night and it makes me crazy; why
can’t it just be the same?’ But it’s a definite process and that’s
one of the things I’ve enjoyed working with." The ongoing nature of
the dance choreography is apparent, as the three angels shout out
to Carson from the stage that they have an idea. This announcement
is met by giggles from both Carson and the angels. Another anecdote
is already sparkling in Carson’s eyes. "They got on a chair with
wings on it and they just came running out pretending to fly …
and I said, ‘We’re keeping that’ and the transition part where I’m
going from one world to another … they were standing behind me
pretending that they had these lighters and that they were at a
rock concert. We’re using that!" The abundant laughs and obvious
enjoyment these women extract from dancing are reflected in the
spontaneity of the atmosphere and the comedic nature of the piece.
Co-producer Jana Tallerico rehearses and plans to perform even
though she has an injured foot. Commitment to the concert and to
dance can be seen in every movement, from the subtle tilts of the
head to the powerful lifts. "This piece makes us laugh. Dancing
like angels is funny," says Tallerico, the only undergraduate among
the producers. "Time is kind of limited and my other classes get
put aside sometimes, but it’s fun. It’s worth it." DANCE: The World
Arts and Cultures department performs "The Things We Do" Friday and
Saturday in Theater 200 of the Dance Building. Admission is free.
SHAWN LAKSMI/Daily Bruin Cassandra Chae, Julie Carson, Jana
Tallerico and Melissa Clark (l. to r.) perform "PJs in Heaven,"
part of the World Arts and Cultures’ student concert May 9 and 10.
The concert will be held in Theater 200 of the Dance Building.
SHAWN LAKSMI/Daily Bruin "The Things We Do" features student
choreographers and dancers including (l. to r.) Cassandra Chae,
Julie Carson and Jana Tallerico.