Student-run dance festival shows heart and soul
By Matt von Boecklin
It is one of those rare events where the things you will see have never been done before.
There is no time-honored, been-there-done-that script. What will be performed comes purely from the heart, soul and mind of those involved.
"I'm not trying to teach anyone a lesson, I'm not trying to pose a perspective, I'm just trying to tell a story. Because whenever you see people on stage, even if you don't agree with them, you learn something regardless," senior dancer Tara Macken said.
On Oct. 15 and 16, the Fall Dance Festival takes control of the Fess Parker Studio Theatre. The festival is entirely developed by the creative and imaginative intellects of senior dancers Robert Daze, Tara Macken and Maureen Walsh, who run the show.
"The Fall Dance Festival is special because it's a student show. The directors are students, the choreographers are students, the crew are students. We are in charge of the whole production," said Macken, who will present a six-dance show of her own called "Chapter 6."
"If you compare this dance festival to say, Images, you have a much different quality: our dances are subjective to our own individual personalities."
The premise of the festival is to portray three stories, which are similar to plays, in the form of dance.
There are concrete themes to each of the stories, and each story has been built from the ground-up by the imagination of the three senior directors.
One is about the pains and regrets of Friday-night hookups, with a slight twist. One describes how "Life is Beautiful," without the help of actor Alberto Benigni and Nazis.
"The thing about the festival is that it is a lot more intimate than others. We get to integrate our life story into our dances and choreograph it out. It's the culmination of [the seniors'] four years of dancing class," senior Robert Daze, director of "Life is Beautiful," said.
The students have taken charge of all aspects including writing the script, choreographing the dances, and choosing the music.
The festival pieces contain songs from musical artists Josh Groban and George Gershwin, but there are also live performances from Santa Clara student musicians. These students include drummer Evan Sarkisian and singer Katie Zazenski.
"I use 'Rhapsody in Blue' [Gershwin] for my final scene," Daze said. "It just takes everybody's personality and throws it on stage in a celebration of life. You might recognize it; I think it's been used in Southwest Airlines commercials or something."
Unfortunately, the student directors of the show also have to fund the entire event. Money for everything from props to costumes comes straight out of their pockets.
"Right now I'm broke," laughs Macken. "I'm starving, I had like five cookies for dinner today."
Thus far, Daze alone has dropped $500.
The entire show has been in rehearsal since spring quarter last year.
The directors use each other for their own shows and are constantly in the studio rehearsing.
They arrive at the dance studios early in the morning, usually leaving at around 11 p.m. But they don't complain, and like all true artists, they wouldn't have it any other way. They just want to showcase their art.
"I want people to see that there is beauty in life, and that even with tragedy, there is still life to be had," Daze said.
Contact Matt von Boecklin at (408) 551-1918 or mvonboecklin@scu.edu.