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Dance in Flight, a dance concert that took place April 26 through 28, showed that dance can be interpreted based on the aspect of flight. Seven pieces were choreographed by both resident faculty and guest artists from as far as northern Michigan.
Some pieces represented headwinds, such as “Into the Wind, Directly,” choreographed and performed by Matthew Lindstrom and Leslie Meek.
“This represents headwinds that can push you to struggling but also can pull you to ease, which ‘Into the Wind, Directly’ interpreted,” Meek, director of Dance and program adviser, said.
“For ‘Into the Wind, Directly,’ it’s a relationship in the wind,” said Lindstrom, guest artist from northern Michigan. “Sometimes the wind blows you from the back and it’s easier to move through, and sometimes there is a head wind and you’re frozen against that and it’s like a male and female relationship.”
Meek and Lindstrom met at the Interlock for the School of the Arts in Northern Michigan where they developed a great working relationship. Lindstrom agrees they “recruit well together.” Lindstrom’s piece, which he choreographed, was called “Focus on a Distant Point.”
“For me,” said Lindstrom, “I had this idea about a moon that I’ve always wanted to see hovering over the stage and what it would feel like to be in this empty space where there is nothing left, but to grow and get bigger until eventually you just fly away.”
Meek’s piece, which she and the dancers choreographed, was called “Fairer Winds,” which is the idea that many people carry emotions and memories in their clothing.
“Sometimes those memories and emotions must be shed to push through to fairer winds,” said Meek. “’Fairer winds is a sailing term from olden times when sailors would not say goodbye but would say, ‘I will see you in fairer winds.’”
Meek, as the director of Dance, helped the dancers keep their movements clean and made sure the guest artists’ pieces were maintained throughout the year-long process to get the show on stage. She had to be sure the pieces kept the integrity of the movement that the guest artist sees and that it stays with the piece through the entire year.
“The girls were beautiful tonight, I think they are so talented,” Lindstrom said. “I’ve taught all over the country and when I come here, they’re professional, they’re well trained and they are a great example. I would work with them after they graduated.”
Marissa Gero danced in a piece, choreographed by Jamie Johnson, called “Percorso,” which depicts birds in flight.
“We do bird-like movements and I feel like I’m a bird,” said Gero. “I’m the head goose when we are in our ‘V’ pattern leading my team on and it’s powerful to me.”
