Orchesis Ensemble Pushes Limits with ‘On Edge – Dances on the Brink’
by Soyoung An
On Fri., Nov. 11 and Sat, Nov. 12, Orchesis performed in the Appenzellar-Buchanan Dance Studio. The Orchesis ensemble’s performance not only presented a dance, but also delivered a message.
The Orchesis ensemble’s performance not only presented a dance, but also delivered a message. On Fri., Nov. 11 and Sat, Nov. 12, Orchesis performed in the Appenzellar-Buchanan Dance Studio. Each dance revealed the dancer’s emotion and the message they wanted to communicate. The dances contained unique attributes such as silence or the use of heavy breathing. The audience and dancers were engaged in the performance with the intimate studio space. The dance studio was filled with curiosity and surprise from the unconventional and artistic dances.
Dance without music
“Actually, it’s too awkward to show the dance without the music. However, a sound of surrounding made me concentrate on the dancer’s performance rather than any music. I cannot express my feeling through the words. It’s just amazing,” Jiyoon Shin ‘13 said.
President of Orchesis, Briana Doscher ‘12, and Suji Han ‘13 performed Silent Suffrage, a tragedy of a North Korean refugee. The strong emotional appeal kept the audience captivated by the performance. In place of music, a narration was read by Han.
“When I researched materials related with North Korea for our performance, I was emotionally impacted. I hope other people experience [this] and it moves their heart,” said Doscher.
The Orchesis ensemble and adviser to Orchesis, Paula Kellinger, choreographed the performance. The audience appreciated the member’s attention to detail in their choreography.
Paying close attention
When the first performance Trio A (the Mind is a Muscle) began, the audience wondered if something was wrong. There was not music or eye contact between the dancer and audience. The audience concentrated only on the dancer’s movement. The dance was unhindered by the lack of music. The dancer’s breathing, and the natural sounds of her movement created an exquisite collaboration.
“The music helps movement, but sometimes missing music makes people focus on the dance. It’s mysterious,” Raquel Feliciano ‘12 said. Some people may not understand dances without music. In the modern dance, however, choreography without music is a continuing trend developed by the idea that music can be distracting from the dance.
The Orchesis ensemble used various techniques maintaining the theme of “Dances on the Edge”. The ensemble looks forward to their spring performance, where they hope to continue their successful dances on the brink.