CAMPUS
DANCE
FLUIDITY /
Valerie Brewster
(center) exhibits
strength and
fluidity as she
stands tall during
choreographer
Heather Gillette’s
dance “Ke Hele
Nei Wau … I Am
Walking.”
STRENGTH /
Ricky Vazquez
shifts from
grounded to light
movements to
create variety as
he dances.
SPOTLIGHT /
Mary Leopo
arches with
the light
cascading
over her.
GROUNDED / Dancers embody the physical and emotional destruction that natural disasters cause in a piece about Hurricane Katrina.
ROOTS &
BRANCHES
Words and Photos: Ashley Ramynke
8
el Don Santa Ana College · December 2019
I
mmersed in the spotlight figures float across the
stage, depicting stories of cultures and traditions that
unfold with each movement. From the seats of Phillips
Hall Theatre, the audience is transported to the shrines
of Japan, the fields of Scotland and the water-flooded
streets of New Orleans.
At Santa Ana College’s annual Dancewatch concert
Roots/Branches … Embracing Our Past and Present,
faculty choreographed five pieces that reveal how
both traditional and contemporary dance utilize
movement as a form of visual storytelling.
“[Dance is] something that helps break the
boundaries between artistry and day-to-day life,” Ricky
Vazquez, a third-year dance major, said.
The works were inspired by each choreographer’s
travels, personal experiences and cultural roots.
FIGHTER / Stephany Nuñez prepares for battle.
AMONG THE TREES / Sergio Ramirez is lifted by fellow dancers in front of photos of historic Japanese sites.
el Don Santa Ana College · December 2019
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