Annual dance show 'Images' full of energy

By Kristina Chiapella

Despite the rain and the injured performers, a dedicated group of Santa Clara dancers and choreographers put on an energetic and entertaining show in Mayer Theatre Thursday night.

"Images" is Santa Clara's yearly dance concert which features dances created by both faculty members and student choreographers.

The show opened with a haunting modern dance number choreographed by junior Lauren Baines, in which an unexpected combination of music and movements mesmerized the audience.

During a piece featuring short red and black dresses suggestive of salsa, dancers sashayed their hips to upbeat music and performed multiple pirouettes that resulted in thunderous applause.

Whether it was a Philippine-inspired number with sharp hypnotic movements or a traditional pointe dance with flowy skirts, the audience clapped and screamed their support.

Many times dancers contorted into positions that hurt to think about, let alone watch.

Student choreographers were chosen from those who participated in the Choreographer's Gallery, a production of solely student pieces that ran during fall quarter.

From this group, four students were selected to showcase their dances in last week's "Images" production.

For the faculty pieces, "Images" auditions were held during the second week of the school year.

Baines was one of the four students selected from Gallery, but was unable to dance in both "Images" and "Gallery" after tearing her ACL during a rehearsal and undergoing surgery over winter break.

Although demoralized, Baines remained committed to the show as a choreographer and appeared in a walk-on role.

"I like the opportunity to try things," said Baines. "Modern dance allows for invention and creativity. There's an energy onstage that I love."

This energy was clearly visible during Thursday's performance. "I was impressed with their calm and strength onstage," said faculty choreographer David Popalisky. "They did not look amateur."

For Popalisky, who designed a dreamlike piece featuring dancers in bejeweled unitards who ran and leapt to Renaissance music, this was his 18th "Images" show. "I thought it was wonderfully crafted and wonderfully performed," he said.

The show concluded with director Fran Atlas-Lara's energetic jazz number, where dancers dressed in a rainbow of neon hues were in constant movement, even doing backflips across the stage. "I try to use people's special talents when I'm choreographing," she said.

From having nothing to performing a completed show is an amazing experience and well worth the effort, said Atlas-Lara. By far, she said, the best part is "the outcome: being able to entertain the community and make a difference in people's lives."

By dazzling the audience and drawing them into the performance, "Images" was able to accomplish what Atlas-Lara explained.

Claire Calalo, a senior, danced in "Images" for her last time. "It seemed so surreal that it was the first night of my last run. I thought Thursday's performance had great energy," said Calalo.

The diversity of the dances made for a captivating show, and Calalo was especially impressed with this year's student choreography.

"Every year it seems to get more interesting, meaningful and entertaining. I love that our department is filled with choreographers who have something to say and are so skilled at bringing their unique perspectives to the stage," said Calalo.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle the cast faced this year was injuries and illnesses throughout the quarter.

"It made things a little bit stressful," said Baines, who said she was fervently hoping everyone would be healthy in time for the show.

"Dancers are always called to push through and make it happen, so that's what we do," said Calalo, who was sick herself the week before the show. "I really admire and respect everyone who's worked so hard and sacrificed so much to put this show together."

Despite setbacks and stressful moments, the dancers never wavered in their devotion to the show and to each other.

"The cast has become like a second family," said Baines. "It gets to be very intense, but there's an excitement, too."

For everyone involved, there seems to be a consensus that the best part of the process is simply making the dance and bringing it to life onstage.

Contact Kristina Chiapella at (408) 551-1918 or kchiapella@scu.edu.