‘MetamORCHESIS’ of dance celebrates the evolution of genres

Mika’s “Grace Kelly” resonated through Roone Arledge Auditorium as the curtain rose, revealing nine young women in matching white dresses. As they began to dance, they lit up the stage with playful energy and graceful talent.

These powerhouse dancers commanded the stage in Victoria Pollack’s, BC ’12, opening number “Gotta Be Everything More” of “metamORCHESIS.”

The fall Orchesis dance showcase, “metamORCHESIS,” ran on Friday, Nov. 18, at 9 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m., in Roone Arledge Auditorium. The confident flair of the opening piece set the tone for the rest of the show—talented dancers performed to graceful and complex choreography with lighthearted energy.

Orchesis, a fully student-run dance group, prides itself on accepting anyone who auditions—regardless of their previous dance experience. As a result, “metamORCHESIS” featured a variety of dance styles, from contemporary to ballet to tap to can-can. While some numbers were stronger than others, the choreography of each work allows the performers to show off their best abilities.
One of the standout pieces was “Flying Away,” choreographed by Jaclyn Hoffman, CC ’14, set to “18th Floor Balcony” by Blue October. This lyrical contemporary piece featured fluid choreography, which showed that Hoffman really understood her music. The performers moved with a similar sense of musicality and expressiveness that was refreshing and engaging.

Erin Stahmer’s, CC ’12, beautiful interpretation of Adele’s “Turning Tables” also evoked emotions from the choreography. The dancers glided with direction and motive, focused on their transitions and were mindful of each step. Stahmer’s creative choreography made use of chairs to establish a graceful balance between solos and groups. It was a powerful closer to the first act of the show.
Act two began with just as much force. “The Glorious Edge” by Daniel Pahl, CC ’14, opened with the dancers silhouetted by colored light, gently rocking to the opening of Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory.” The beat picked up, turning the dance into an athletic and energetic number featuring powerful lifts and jumps. Despite small synchronicity issues, the choreography built and flowed well, acting as an ambitious showcase for talented dancers.

The second act also featured strong contemporary pieces, such as “Hey Ya” by Kyley Knoerzer, BC ’13, “Something Different” by Katie Sun, BC ’12, and a fun and flirty jazz number, “Playtime,” by Gigi Clark, BC ’12. However, the highlight was Marie Janieck’s, BC ’12, incredible and intense “Move,” choreographed to “The Butcher” by Radiohead. This raw, technical piece was packed with tension and emotion. The talented dancers clad in colorful unitard bodysuits were simultaneously controlled and animalistic in their movements. This explosive piece featured Janieck slowly moving across the stage as eight performers surrounded her in their stylized, athletic choreography.

Some of the weaker performances lacked the emotional connection and punch of the aforementioned pieces. Numbers such as the tap performance “Touch the Sky” and the contemporary pieces “When You’re Dreaming” and “All My Love” needed more energy from the dancers to be truly engaging. “So You Think You Can Dance,” a traditional yet playful can-can, and “Fourth Wall,” a lyrical contemporary quintet, lacked synchronicity. Some of the moves seemed sloppy and unfinished, as if the dancers were simply going through the motions.

The interludes between pieces, staged by Allie Schwartz, BC ’12, reflected the concert’s theme of metamorphosis. The first interlude featured three ballerinas dancing en pointe to The Nutcracker, only to be interrupted by a hip-hop dancer in a hoodie. As one of the performers breaks off from the trio to shake her stuff, the metamorphosis from classical ballet to hip-hop begins. In the second interlude, a dance battle between hip-hop dancers and ballerinas ensued, and, in the third interlude, a ballet duo and hip-hop duo blended the two genres seamlessly. The final interlude, called “The Ultimate Swagg-Transition,” was a fierce hip-hop number that kept the energy going through the second act.

The final number, “Now That I Can Dance,” choreographed by Pollack and Katie Mukai, BC ’13, featured a smorgasbord of performers and genres including everything from ballet to a crowd-pleasing “Dirty Dancing” tribute—ending a diverse, largely successful night on a high note.