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Arizona Daily Wildcat February 12, 1998
Valentine's Day in Style
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The atmosphere of the treacherous holiday approaching this weekend brings out the mush in most everyone. Whether it be good mush or bad mush is your own call. Nonetheless, if you're looking for something a bit more original to do this Valentine's Day (as you well should be; if any more of those freaking heart balloons kill any more innocent birds somebody's helium tank is gonna get blown up), the UA School of Music and Dance has something for you.
"Dances from the Heart," presented by the College of Fine Arts, is a romance-themed dance concert featuring faculty-choreographed pieces with student performers.
"We wanted to put established work out there, works we know the audience will enjoy," says Dance Division Head Jory Hancock. According to Hancock, "It's some of the strongest work" the department has to offer.
The show, which starts at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14, opens with "Pure Arches," to be performed by Deborah Kenner and Cesar Rubio. The music will be performed live by harpist Carrol McLaughlin and flutist Peter Sheridan. The work is one of three pieces in the show that uses a backdrop of live music.
The show utilizes "a variety of styles; that's what we do [in the department] - ballet, modern and jazz," says Rubio, who will be dancing in the opening and closing pieces on Saturday.
"Sabor a Mi," which Rubio describes as "spiced up, with a lot of Latin rhythms" combines tango, flamenco and modern jazz moments, making it "a good piece to watch.
"It has only women in it - that's why it's very good to see," Rubio jokes.
"Between the Lines," the last piece of the show, is choreographed by Michael Williams and is set to the music of Harry Connick, Jr. Rubio explains it as echoing Connick's style by using "suave movements" and then suddenly becoming "very flashy."
"Liza's Afternoon" is the only piece not performed by students; Hancock and Melissa Lowe, another faculty member, are the sole dancers in the piece. The work is set to the music of Gershwin, which will be played by pianist Suzanne Knosp, and tells the 1940's-style story of an unexpected summer rendezvous in a park.
Every piece in the performance is "obviously romantic, mature and passionate somehow," explains Hancock. "It's rare to see a Valentine's Day concert, with works chosen with Valentine's Day in mind.
"There's something for everybody, for every member of the audience," Hancock adds. "We felt it would be a great way, rather than going to see a movie or going to a bar or dancing, to spice up (the audience's) day."
"Dances from the Heart," presented by the UA School of Music and Dance, begins Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Tickets are $14 and $17 for general admission, $9 and $12 for students and seniors. For ticket info, call the box office at 622-2823.
Special black-tie dinner and dessert packages are also available with reservations. Call 621-9062 for information.
