By ELYSSA RENEE MADSEN
Music ranging from “Rain,” a world-premiere jazz piece, to “Sledgehammer,” pop music by Peter Gabriel, has inspired the dances for The Utah Contemporary Dance Theatre’s mixed repertoire.
The performance, which will be Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Kingsbury Hall, features a variety of different dance styles, including Latin, jazz and ballet.
Created over four years ago, UCDT combines jazz and ballet to provide a fresh, exciting performing company, according to UCDT spokesperson Holli Price.
UCDT Artistic Director Derryl Yeager is a former Ballet West Principal dancer, as well as a veteran of film, television and Broadway.
According to Price, UCDT’s diverse range of styles, abilities and talents, have significantly impacted the West’s Dancescape.
This weekend’s repertoire features revivals of three of UCDT’s world-premiere works, as well as several new pieces designed specifically for this performance.
“Meandres,” set to the music of Cirque du Soleil, opens the show with a creative study of shapes and movement.
In “Espania,” dancers combine the intensity of Latin Ballroom with the precision of ballet in a dance choreographed by Rick Robinson and Melissa Jewkes, the 1993 United States Latin Ballroom Champions.
“The Other Side,” a piece originally choreographed for UCDT’s Halloween Hit, “Thriller,” celebrates the passage of the human spirit from our world into the one beyond.
“Rain,” set to the music of jazz master Janalyn Memmott, ends the first act with an engaging, thought-provoking dance.
“Rain” takes viewers through life’s four R’s: reflection, romance, remorse and redemption. The piece has a cleansing power that affects both dancers and audience, according to Price.
The entire second half of the program showcases “Sledghammer,” UCDT’s world-premiere work set to the music of Peter Gabriel. Choreographed by Artistic Director Derryl Yeager, the six-song suite celebrates the life of the industrial, blue collar worker.
“Peter Gabriel’s music is so expressive and he has such a wonderful poetic ability to capture the essence of the common working man’s plight … Not only is it great music, but it provides an underpinning for movement and choreography,” Yeager said.
Sledgehammer marks a new level of growth and accomplishment for the UCDT dancers, according to Yeager, who has been waiting for the right conditions to perform the piece.
“I’ve been waiting to do this piece for years … I see it as a signature piece for UCDT because it combines many styles of movement with dramatic themes — that makes it a piece that shows what this company can do,” Yeager said.
Tickets for the repertoire may be purchased at any ArtTix location or by calling 355-ARTS. BYU students will receive a special discount rate of $2 off any ticket price by calling ArtTix.
