El Paisano

Issue date: 5/15/09 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Salomon Baeza The dance department's spring event "An Evening of Dance" begun with dancers dressed to mimic animals in the first dance of the evening.

Rio Hondo's Dance Department's spring event was a showcase that featured the work of a class in which students whose experience ranged from newcomer to seasoned dance veteran. While the actual dancer were choreographed by both faculty or students or both. Whomever it was one thing was certain a passion for the subject matter was apparent.

The opening dance was "Understory" and featured dancers dressed in black leotards and feathered masks. The dancers referenced famous dance routines from Broadways 'The Lion King' to the ballet classic 'Swan Lake.' The dance featured choreography where dancers moved about the stage like so many animals flocks of birds to jungle beasts and was a beautiful showing of grace and strength.

A continuation from the Dance Departments fall event entitled 'A Works in Progress' one of the dances 'Dance of the Dolls' had been brought to the springs showing and this time had grown from a work in progress to a full fledged dance piece.

Originally a macabre cabaret act featuring burlesque styled dancing 'dolls' set to modern songs the newest dance had gained a story and dancers.

The story reminiscent of Fantasia's 'The Sorcerer's Assistant' had dancing marionette dolls whose movement and life was wrenched from dance puppeteer and then turned onto their former masters. The student choreographed piece was an amazing show of Rio Hondo student's talent.

The dance was a breathtaking and invigorating piece featuring a mix of modern and classic choreography set to songs by the baroque-rock band Panic at the Disco! and R&B pop singer Rihanna.

One of the later dances was part of the 'Three of Three' dances and was a tribute to America's fallen soldiers and our generation of soldiers.

The piece, which department head Alyson Cartagena, was held in silence say for the sounds of war. A moving piece the audience was captivated and moved by a dance whose choreography was stark and harsh and featured training camp drills.

Continued...

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