Fall dance festival

By From Staff Reports

The pain and triumph of life unfold onstage in an expression of dance at this weekend's Fall Dance Festival.

Senior dance majors Maxine Evangelista and Skye Wilson will present their original choreography at their senior recital in Fess Parker Studio Theatre.

Both choreographers were inspired by their social justice and the arts immersion trip last spring in El Salvador.

"We got lots of inspiration from the stories of the people there," said Evangelista. The recitals are a way for the dancers to express in performance how they were affected by the immersion trip .

Each of the two 30-minute segments feature a variety of pieces performed by several dancers.

Evangelista's recital explores the role of death in three everyday encounters: life, culture and love.

"It's a piece that reflects upon how death brings on new life," Evangelista said.

Evangelista, whose style is mostly a mixture of modern, lyrical and contemporary dance, hopes her piece will change the negative perception of death to one that is more hopeful and uplifting.

Wilson's piece reflects on the healing process by using the symbols of the river and water as a metaphor for acceptance.

The original choreography, merely an idea last April, has transformed into an hour of performances after many hours of rehearsals.

"It's going to be really fun," Evangelista said of the recital. "We have a lot of talented dancers."

Check out the festival on Saturday at 1 p.m. or 8 p.m., or Sunday at 2 p.m. in Fess Parker Theatre.

A donation box will be set up in the lobby to benefit an organization in El Salvador.

Contact scene@thesantaclara.com.