Dancers in bold and unique metallic costumes took to the stage, followed by contemporary ballet dancers in ombre dresses and ghostly all-white tulle costumes.
“Belle Danse” is the latest show produced by the School of Dance. The first act showcased eight dance numbers ranging from soloists to ensembles. The second act was a restaging of the classical 19th-century ballet, “Giselle.” The rehearsal process took a little over a month with daily three-hour rehearsals.
Act I
The curtain rose on the first act, which showcased dances ranging from ballet to contemporary styles. The featured songs were Italian or inspired by the Mediterranean region. Many songs were by Adriano Celentano, who was popular in the 1970s and ’80s. “Left Alone,” an original piece by Katlyn Addison with new music composed by Miguel Chuaqui, closed out the first act.
Addison’s piece told the story of a girl who navigated her experience of being picked on and excluded by a group of mean girls. The first part explored the situation more literally in the external world. The second part entered the soloist’s internal world, where a new ensemble portrayed her feelings of anxiety and sadness over not being liked. The soloist ended the piece alone on stage with a new realization that she had enough self-confidence and validation from herself that she no longer needed to seek it from others.
“She [Addison] knows what she wants, but she allows the dancers to take that movement and idea, and make it their own,” Isabella DeCandido, a dancer who portrays a mean girl, said about creating the piece with Addison.
Because the music didn’t have an easily identifiable beat, the dancers had to use multiple techniques to stay synchronized, such as paying attention to cues in the music, following a leader or even subconsciously agreeing on when to move.
After watching the piece, DeCandido wanted audiences to know that “self-love is so important. Know that sometimes there’s things outside of your control, and you can’t control if people like you. And to find the people who don’t make you change who you are to fit in with them. And know that you’re enough.”
Act II
“It just feels like you’re transported into a fantasy world,” Evelyn Dodge, ensemble dancer and copy editor for The Daily Utah Chronicle, said.
After intermission, dancers performed the second act of the famous classical ballet from 1841, “Giselle.” This version of the ballet differed from the original staging in a few keyways. In this version, the technical execution was more complex. There was more dynamic movement, whereas originally, many dancers would stand static for quite some time.
Everyone interviewed mentioned how central the late Maggie Tesch was to the production of “Giselle.” It was her favorite ballet, and she started preparing to restage it as early as last summer when she unfortunately lost her battle with cancer. “Trying to honor her throughout this process has been really special and heartfelt, but also celebrating the love we have for her in the art,” Emma Capen said about her lasting impact on the production and in the department.
Since the first act wasn’t included, the director took extra care to explore the theatricality and highlight the storytelling in the show. Justine Sheedy-Kramer, who directed and restaged “Giselle,” told her students to “find a little deeper purpose, even in just a few steps, which can change the tension of the story.”
While Sheedy-Kramer hoped students advanced their technique, she also hoped they learned confidence and how to infuse a deeper layer of artistry into their dancing. Capen, co-director, stressed the importance of the dancers learning teamwork and building each other up through cheering on their castmates.
Support the School of Dance
The School of Dance’s production of “Belle Danse” is on Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m., Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m., and Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The show runs for approximately 90 minutes and will be held in the Marriott Center for Dance.
Students can use their ArtsPass for admission. For more information and tickets, please go here.
