Means, the spring dance concert for Colorado Mesa University, was shown on Friday and Saturday, April 26-27.
Directed by Amanda Benzin, Means featured two acts, with different dance sections of different music. The first act featured “the power of the she,” “Troubled Waters,” “Rollercoaster” and “Shut up and Dance.”
With lighting designers Matthew Schlief and Sarah Lachelt, the concert took place in Robinson Theatre, open for students, adults and the general public.
“The concert this semester shares the common theme of history, memory and a collective impulse to utilize movement as a means to express that which cannot be expressed any other way,” Benzin said.
Mikayla Olave for The Criterion 
Mikayla Olave for The Criterion
One of those themes of memory are present in the second act, called Letter to the Playground Bully, where dancers performed to recorded slam poetry. While the first act the power of the she pertained to the theme of history, where performers were asked to generate response movement to questions that pertained to being a woman in the field of dance.
Means brought a close to the Theatre and Dance program’s theatrical season, called Ends and Means: The Pursuit of Happiness.
As the season draws to an end, the careers of many undergraduate dancers and production crew come to a close as well, including: Ashlee Arline, Kayla Bagay, Olivia Crochet, Laura Huwa, Alana Koch, Q McElroy, Jonathan Ramos, Heidi Snider, Lauren Valdez, Daniel Davidek, Anna Dworkin, Tommy Jacobs and Shannon Woolcott.
“While we will greatly miss their talent, dedication to their craft, curiosity, openness, humor, and overall presence within our department, we look forward to celebrating their success and seeing the paths they will carve out for themselves,” Benzin said.
Mikayla Olave for The Criterion 
Mikayla Olave for The Criterion
The seven works in the show were choreographed by faculty members: Meredith Lyons, Gabriele Cahill and Benzin. Several students also choreographed pieces: Brandon Sutorius, Laura Huwa and Olivia Crochet.
Guest artist Teena Marie Custer also choreographed a piece. Custer is an urban dance artist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada, having performed nationally and internationally with her crew Venus Fly and her local Pittsburgh crew, Get Down Gang.
“We all dance for various reasons, but one of the most common threads is that, to us, it is a way and means of being and communicating in the world,” Benzin said.
“The works are diverse in content as well as what genre of dance is used, including modern, tap, jazz, musical theatre, break dancing, waacking and house dance. With this diversity, we hope that there is something for everyone to enjoy,” Benzin said.
