By Hilarie Laukat
The Dancers'' Company''s annual 'Dance in Motion' performance will epitomize the diversity of contemporary dance this year.
'In Motion' embraces the philosophy of the group''s founder, Dee R. Winterton, that artists must 'celebrate the best in man.'
'Dee was always in motion,' said Pat Debenham, director of the Dancers'' Company. 'In some ways the title really has to do with the fact that we are all in motion.'
'In Motion' will open in the Pardoe Theatre Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m., running through Saturday with a matinee performance on Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 at the Harris Fine Arts Center Ticket Office, online at byuarts.com, or over the phone at (801)422-4322.
'It''s a juxtaposition of different dances,' said Caroline Prohosky, associate professor of dance at BYU who choreographed a piece in the show. 'From narrative dance all the way to trendy, avante-garde styles, it covers the whole spectrum.'
Prohosky''s character piece, 'Four Shakespearean Women,' was actually choreographed years ago for another performance. Debenham used old pieces like Prohosky''s, as well as a work from Winterton''s own 'Visual Messiah,' to incorporate a tributary theme into the overall diversity of the show.
'Modern and contemporary dance are just inherently diverse,' said Cami Richards, a junior majoring in dance education who is a member of the Dancers'' Company. 'As a dancer, you have to be ready for anything they might throw at you choreographically because there are so many possible styles.'
For this reason, Debenham says there is something enjoyable for everyone in this year''s 'Dance in Concert.' Bits of light humor provide entertainment while the tribute to Winterton is educational.
Those who knew him said Winterton had a talent for shaping simple, significant motion in a way that connected audiences with the movement employed. In this same way, he inspired and shaped the people he worked with.
'For Dee as well as our contemporary dance division, movement and dance are seen as something that celebrates the positive aspects of humanity that the restored gospel asserts,' Debenham said. 'It''s really a message of hope.'