Another Sneak Peak at the Summer Informance

The ACC studio was busy with MBM company rehearsals today! From 8 AM until the campus closed, your student dance company was working hard for the show. Don’t miss out on this free show on Wednesday, July 2^nd, at 7 PM the Rio Grande Campus Mainstage.

One of the pieces being presented is from Anne Wharton, the author of this blog and ACC dance graduate: I started out with a simple concept; restrictions in life. I thought a lot about social concepts and self perceptions. These perspectives lend themselves to expectations and, good or bad, these expectations shape how we live by influencing what we think we’re capable of or what we think we’re allowed to do. In a lot of cases, I find these influences to be negative. There are a lot of social ideas about how women should or shouldn’t behave; what jobs we’re suited for or not suited for, what kind of relationships we should or shouldn’t have. And as dancers, there are a lot of physical boundaries that always seem out of reach because we perceive ourselves incapable of accomplishing such a feat.

Maegan Stelfox in Rehearsal

The movement began to evolve from a costume prop: bamboo silk rope. We started experimenting with traditional rope ties from Japanese culture and through improvisation, began to set movement. The ropes became a symbol of emotional patterns that hold us back from pursuing dreams, or relationships, or even self-improvements. As the dance developed, I realized these emotional limitations can create isolation but also community in our lives. These metaphorical ropes bring self-doubt and weaken our confidence and yet give us a common ground to bond over and find support for our struggles.

Alyssa Cañas in Rehearsal

The ropes were provided in part by the sponsorship of Matthew Daude-Laurents, who designed the patterns for the dancers, from Thought Experience – a philosophical consultation service.

Pictures by Anne Wharton