Under the dazzling stage lights at The Asteria Theatre, the dance department put on the annual autumn show “Fall for Dance.”
It was a stunning showcase of both dancer ability and choreographer vision for a captivating performance.
Modern dance took up most of the show’s runtime, especially in the second act. It was three pieces that pulled the audience in with distinctly emotional storytelling through movement, lighting and sound.
Before the show started in the Asteria, many came early to support their fellow friends, audience members and students. Clara Chandler, Tammy Bower and Yair Aguilar hoped for a great show.
“I’ve never seen [Asteria] like this in real life. I feel like I’m in Cinderella right now, ” said Bower.
The show was directed by Associate Professor of Dance and Dance Program Director Kathy Diehl, who also choreographed a piece, along with fellow CMU Assistant Professor of Dance Caitlin Mahon.
Two pieces were featured in the show: a tap piece titled “Moments of the Electric Di(atribe)pole” and a modern piece titled “Price of Eggs.”
The pieces dealt with current issues relating to the political and social strife in the US, each providing a slightly different perspective on the subject. The tap piece provided a more positive final outlook, highlighting community joy, while the modern piece focused on the grisly reality of things like school shootings, and posited whether or not the results of the 2024 election were really about “the price of eggs.”
This year’s “Fall For Dance” also included three guest choreographers: Kelly Johnson, Rhianna Cranston and Daniel Charon all contributed to the magical creation of each performance, and the dancers had the opportunity to learn from them. Dance major Natalie Griffith had high praise for Cranston.
“When Rhianna [Cranston] was here, she was just, like, so in tune with her own movement […] It’s so amazing to get to take class from someone who is so experienced and, like, who has so much to offer,” said Griffith.
The show left many of the audience in awe, including audience member Tony Link.
“I really liked [the first piece] because it gave the feeling of being underwater in a coral reef and just watching everything move back and forth. The rap piece was great. The last piece was really strong as well. Gutsy, a gutsy show,” Link said.
In April the dance department will be on stage again for their annual “Spring Into Dance” concert, which will largely feature student choreography.
