SUFFUSION at HSU

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Photo: Ali Roberts

Last Performance! Silent Auction!

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Tonight, the final night of Suffusion, there will be a Silent Auction. This has become a spring dance concert tradition.

“We’ve been so lucky the past few years,” said Sharon Butcher, “ so many people in the community have made tremendous donations—products, arts and crafts, services—massages, haircuts—our whole lobby on that night is completely transformed with these amazing items.”

The auction works like this: audience members can see everything offered in the lobby before the show, and make silent bids then. They have another opportunity to bid during intermission. When intermission is over, the bidding is closed, and winners get their items after the show.

Proceeds go to support the HSU dance program, specifically in two areas. “We take students to the American College Dance Festival every year,” Butcher said. “There they are exposed to all kinds of teaching and dance styles, and other dancers from across the country. To me it’s one of the most important things we do here. This auction helps to ensure that they can go.”

“We also use this money to pay guest artists, so we are able to bring in different kinds of teachers to this isolated community, so our students can experience dance from a variety of perspectives.”

Suffusion: Now Playing

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All photos by HSU Graphic Services unless otherwise noted.

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Get ready for SUFFUSION: twelve original dances from the heart.

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It's the perennially popular spring dance concert by HSU students and faculty, opening this year on April 12 in the Van Duzer Theatre. But why call it SUFFUSION?

Student participants named the show, and in a group project they wrote their reasons. For example...

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SUFFUSION: contemporary, exciting and colorful...an electric dance concert that will charge your senses... Dances from the heart, with personal messages for contemporary life...

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To suffuse is to imbue, permeate, spread color and motion throughout…

SUFFUSION: a medley of light, sound and gesture in a dance performance inspired and suffused by the creative expressions of lighting, scenic and costume designers as well as choreographers and dancers…

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Student-choreographed dances include Sarah Carlton’s exploration of aboriginal themes inspired by her six months in Australia (“Walkabout”) Maria Meyer’s meditation on simple acts of survival (“The Breath Transcendent”), Erin Reed’s response to the death of a loved one (“Grieving, Sharing, Living”), Ali Robert’s sultry celebration of Parisian nights (“Streets of France”) and Carly Boland’s examination of power and conformity (“Stricken”), with music by HSU Music Department teacher Brian Post.

Other dances include “Bodies in Order” by Tricia Leister, “Engaging the Source” by Janelle Mitnick, ”Learning to sit with ambiguity” by Kevin Dockery and “Inspiral” by Lela Annotto-Pemberton. Music runs the gamut, from classical and modern to jazz, contemporary pop and World Music.

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There are also faculty contributions. Jandy Bergman and Sharon Butcher perform an excerpt from their fall show, ”Journeys Before Waking,” and Erin Fernandez choreographed “Saraswati," named for a Hindu goddess of water, unity, art, and music. Linda Maxwell takes a humorous look at the current obsession with the iPod (“i hangin.”)

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The Dances

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Walkabout
by Sarah Jane Carlton

A walkabout is a young Australian aboriginal boy’s journey from adolescence to adulthood.

Dancers: Jesse Franzen, Julie Geary, Jennifer James, Stacey Koch, Issac Lopez, Brianna Powers, Erin Reed, Christopher Scardina, Brian Scholes, Kendra Staton, Xelha Weisman, James Edward West.

Music: Choogil, Shakimra Pt.1 by David Hudson
Costume Design: Rae Robison
Set Designers: Joe Castro, Amanda Cordell, Derek Heres
Lighting Design: Joe Castro

The Breath Transcendent
by Maria Meyer

This dance was chosen to represent HSU at the 2007 American College Dance Festival.

Dancer: Maria Meyer

Music: Halleluja by Imogen Heap
Costume Design: Rae Robison
Set Designers: Stephanie Misiura, Andrew Schnell
Lighting Design: Andrew Schnell

Grieving, Sharing, Living
by Erin Reed

Expression through movement can help heal the wounds that time cannot. This dance was created in loving memory of Dennis E. Reed.

Dancers: Lela Annotto-Pemberton, Caroline Boland, Joy Groussard, Sarah Jane Carlton, Patricia Leister, Erin Reed.

Music: Anima Mundi and Hiro by Ingrid Karklins
Costume Design: Rae Robison
Lighting Design: Joseph Castro
Sound Design: Glen Nagy
Text: The Prophet by Kahil Gibran

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The Dances

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Streets of France
by Ali Roberts

Dancer: Ali Roberts

Music: Fibre de Verre by Paris Combo
Sound Editing: Glen Nagy
Costume Design: Geneveve Hood
Set Designers: Brian Chamberland, George Shaw
Lighting Design: Andrew Schnell

Stricken
by Caroline Boland

Power is inflicting pain and humiliation. Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.

Dancers: Lela Annotto-Pemberton, Lindsay Bond, Maria Meyer, Erin Reed, Rebecca Rubenstein.

Music: Stricken (March 2007) by J. Brian Post
Costume Design: Genneveve Hood
Set Designers: Caitlin Hoy, Alex Gradine, Josephine Fericano.
Lighting Design: Andrew Schnell

Journey Before Waking: An Excerpt
by Jandy Bergmann and Sharon Butcher

Dancers:Cheri Anchondo, Lela Annotto-Pemberton, Caroline Boland, Sarah Jane Carlton, Elizabeth Feucht, Jennifer James, Johanna Kaplan-Coleman, Patricia Leister, Tara Lihn, Janelle Mitnick, Brianna Powers.

Music: Marty Beller, James Asher and Peter Kubrik
Costume Coordinators: Jandy Bergmann, Sharon Butcher, Sarah Carlton, Rose Anthony.
Properties Design: George Shaw
Lighting Design: Joseph Castro

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The Dances

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Saraswati
by Erin Fernandez

“Saraswati” is the Hindu Goddess of water and unity.

Dancers: Lindsay Bond, Emily Claypool, Jenn Coats, Aleka Mesaros, Brianna Powers, Rebecca Rubenstein.

Music: Headlock by Imogen Heap
Costume Design: Rae Robison
Lighting Design: Joseph Castro

Bodies in Order
by Patricia Leister

I am riveted by the work of modern dance but find it hard to marry the reality of concert dance with a desire for everyone to love dance and own it. How is dance split into series art vs. play, and do these aspects collide?

Dancers: Kevin Lynn Dockery, Patricia Leister, Jerri Sweeney.
Music: Untitled by Brendan Otto.
Costume Design: Rae Robison
Lighting Design: Andrew Schnell
Film: Simone Atkison
Editing/technological wizardry: J.T. Johnston

Engaging the Source
by Janelle Mitnick

We live in a time when the source of life is not being appreciated: water is a miracle running through the veins of the earth, fortifying it to blossom and breathe. We are of that presence and need to bow our heads to the powerful teachers within.

Dancers: Lindsay Bond, Nerissa Castilleja, Megan DuVernay, Maria Meyer, Janelle Mitnick, Brian Sholes, Katie Small, Kendra Staton.

Music: Palms Down Urban Drummers, DJ Cheb, I Sabbah
Sound Design: John Howard
Costume Design: Genneveve Hood
Lighting Design: Joseph Castro

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outdoor pose from "Inspiral" by Lela Annotto-Pemberton.

Photo by Ali Roberts.

The Dances

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Learning to Live with Ambiguity
by Kevin Lynn Dockery

This dance contains nudity.

Dancer:Kevin Lynn Dockery

Music: Bulgarian Womens Choir, Kronos Quartet, Lightning Bolt.
Costume Coordinator: Genneveve Hood
Lighting Design: Andrew Schnell

Inspiral
by Lela Annotto-Pemberton

“What is inspiration, but an inhalation of life?”

Dancers: Caroline Boland, Sarah Jane Carlton, Stacey Koch, Tara Lihn, Maria Meyer, Brianna Powers, Erin Reed, Rebecca Rubenstein.

Music: Bennett Piano Concerto #5; Romanza Pastorale, A Stroll Through the Meadows by William Sterndale
Set Designers: Julia Chase, Erin Sandvold
Costume Design: Genneveve Hood
Lighting Design: Andrew Schnell

i hangin’
by Linda Maxwell

Dancers: Elizabeth Feucht, Julia Gardino, Johanna Kaplan-Coleman, Tara Lihn, Natalie Macias, Ashley Nichole Newton, Katie Petrick, Chris Scardina, Brian Sholes, Kendra Staton, Leanne Sutton, Manderella.

Music: Hear Music, There Ya Go by McFerrin
Properties Design: George Shaw
Costume Design: Rae Robison
Lighting Design: Joseph Castro

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Production

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Stage Manager: Kat Bruck
Technical Director: Jayson Mohatt
Assistant Technical Director: Justin Takata
Sound and Technology Director: Glen Nagy
Graduate Light Board Operator: Rusty Gaidzik
Sound Board Operator: Melissa Hutsell
Wardrobe Manager: Becky Parker
Master Flyer: Perry Cage
Main Curtain: Brian Pike
Stage Hands: Nichole Gaffney, Karen Cisneros, Robert Silvas, Elena Lopez, Martha Gonzalez
Properties Master: George Shaw
Costume Shop Manager: Catherine Brown
Graduate Costume Shop Supervisors: Genneveve Hood, Renee Carney
Makeup Artists: Rebecca Thompson, Caitlin Hoy
Scene Shop Supervisors: Kato Buss, Kristin Hoffman
Undergraduate Scene Shop Supervisors: Justin Takata, Evan Wrye, Darryl Pauline

Faculty Design Advisors

Lighting: James P. McHugh
Scenic: Jody Sekas
Costumes: Rae Robison
Choreography: Sharon Butcher and Jandy Bergmann

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Dance Theatre Production Class

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Instructor: James P. McHugh
Administrative Assistants: Lela Annotto-Pemberton, Nerissa Castilleja

Program Design: Cary Boland
Poster Design: Ali Roberts
Maintaining the Peace: Kevin Dockery & Christopher Hegler
Lobby Presentation: Edana Gentry, Davaryah Trugman
Event Coordinators: Sarah Carlton, Erin Reed
Public Relations: Janelle Mitnick, Maria Meyer
Silent Auction: Lisa Searle

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SUFFUSION Begins With Collaboration

Before Suffusion came collaboration. “Gradually the faculty has been giving away more and more responsibility for the production of the show to students,” said Sharon Butcher, HSU Assistant Professor and Artistic Director of the spring concert. “ Last year we had mostly student choreographers running the show. We have that again this year, but it goes beyond that. Now we’ve come so far that our older students are teaching the younger ones about the different responsibilities, how to get the rehearsals organized, all the production details-- everything that needs to be done to get the show ready.”

Much of this work was done in a production class taught by HSU Professor of Theatre James McHugh.

The collaboration extended to creative decisions. “Our student choreographers and dancers met with student scenic, lighting and costume designers and together they came up with a vision for the show,” said Butcher. “This is a tremendous opportunity to learn, on all levels. So the students have acquired a lot of independence and autonomy in this show.”

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SUFFUSION Enacted in Participation

“Suffusion” is also about participation. “Unlike most dance programs, we really try to get all of our dance majors on stage right away,” Butcher explained. “We really believe that the experience of performing or being part of a production is a huge part of how students grow. They are doing what they love, so why wait? We embrace students at all levels, even freshmen, and what’s really amazing is how well it turns out.”

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Nudity

There is nudity in one of the dances on the program: “Learning to sit with ambiguity.” “Kevin Dockery begins this dance clothed, and by the end he’s naked,” said Sharon Butcher. “The idea of removing his clothing is a metaphor for the concept of the dance, which is about a person’s struggle to become more honest with himself. To me, he’s dealing with this concept very artfully, and we feel it is really important for Kevin to be able to make this choice.”

“But we want everyone to come to our show, and everyone who comes to be comfortable. There are pauses between the dances, and audience members are free to leave the theatre before this dance and return afterwards.”

Coming Soon

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SUFFUSION, a program of dances choreographed and performed by Humboldt State University students and faculty is presented at 7:30 PM, Thursday through Saturday, April 12-14 and April 19-21 in the Van Duzer Theatre on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets $10 general, $8 seniors/students, limited seating free to HSU students, from Ticket Office (826-3928.) One dance contains nudity. A production of the HSU Department of Theatre, Film & Dance.

More information and photos here soon!