Spring Back returns to more conventional forms

Oberlin student dance isn't without its problems. Usually these problems take the form of self-indulgence, resulting in pieces that go on too long without any clear point, and seem to exist in a vacuum, without the idea of an audience in mind. Fortunately, this sort of self-indulgence was in short supply at the 1998 Spring Back dance concert. And if the evening seemed like more of a showcase than a show, with little thematic connection between the various pieces, it also demonstrated the range of student choreography at Oberlin, and a refreshing focus on more formal and conceptual aspects of dance.

The concert opened with college junior Ellie-Jo Leonhardt's striking and beautifully lit "Slicing Though the Open: Freeze Fracture Tension." Set to music by ambient pioneer Aphex Twin, the piece placed traditional ballet moves in a modern context, and seemed to be addressing issues of dualism and dichotomy. While much of the movement was engaging and unique, other parts seemed somewhat generic, part of a basic Oberlin modern style. But the piece was well-conceived and well-danced, and it made for a solid opening. It was an extremely accomplished - but not overwhelmingly impressive - piece of work.

Following Leonhardt was conservatory senior C. Neal Parsons's solo "Chaconne," billed as a "part of a work in progress." Appearing onstage with Parsons was double-degree fifth-year violinist Andrew McCann, who provided live accompaniment, playing Bach's Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D Minor for Unaccompanied Violin. Unfortunately, the music and its playing proved to be more interesting than the dance itself, which, though extremely accomplished and well-executed, went on a little too long without any central point.

The riskiest piece of the evening was probably senior Bec Conant's excellent "Because I Am," a deeply personal and introspective examination of the ways in which we allow outside forces to shape our identity. Danced without music and mixing Conant's spoken observations with her mother's taped recollections, the piece could easily have slipped into conceptual pretentiousness, but thankfully, it never did. Extremely well thought-out, grounded, and clear in the points it made, it was also nicely choreographed, and proved to be both entertaining and enlightening.

The final piece of the first act was junior Stephany Haaz's big, cluttered "Van der Waals Forces and Comparative Politics." Featuring nearly thirty dancers, the piece, which was a mix of improvisation, choreographed movement, and choral singing, seemed to be about individual identity versus group identity, and was interesting to both watch and think about. It could have been a little shorter, but the size and length felt like part of the point. And besides, it was big and ambitious in a way that most Oberlin dance isn't, and that, in and of itself, was impressive.

Following the intermission came "Felt," senior Jordan Phaup's stark and almost unnerving solo. Set to gorgeous, dissonant music by double-degree senior Amitabh Rao, the piece featured Phaup, tense and pained in her movement, dancing in and out of a single stable spotlight. Though there were many visually arresting moments and powerful images, the piece as a whole felt sort of empty, and groundless. However, this may have been part of the point, and while it felt like something was missing, the movement itself was good enough to justify the piece.

After "Felt" came the evening's weakest moment, the self-indulgent "Adagio," an improvisational performance by seniors Rafael Cohen and Per Eisenman. A contact improv piece, "Adagio" showcased the two dancers rolling around on each other for a few minutes, with no point to the action. The technique was impressive, but it would have been a lot more interesting if it were in the service of something more than its own display. Contact improv is like watching a rehearsal, not an actual performance.

Sophomore Dana Kotler's solo "In the Valley, et cetera" was a definite improvement, though not without its flaws. Described as "the product of an ongoing collaboration" between the dancer and the composer, double-degree sophomore Joel Rothschild, the piece seemed to be a meditation on life and death, mixing breathing and choking noises with recorded, manipulated samples from a gospel song. The music was big, loud, and weird, but, unfortunately, the dance didn't quite match up in terms of impact. A little generic and melodramatic, the dancing lacked a level of power the music required. Still, the piece was clever and well-conceived, and not without its points of interest.

The evening's final piece, senior Cara Perkins's "Mouth: A Comedy in 3 Parts" was absolutely amazing: the best of the concert, and some of the best student choreography in several years. Set to music by Lou Rawls, the Andrews Sisters, and Helen Forrest, the piece was composed of three dances - a group dance, a duet, and a solo - each relating, in some way to the functions of the mouth. Beautifully and intricately choreographed, funny and touching (especially the romantic toothbrushing of the duet), and gorgeously danced (Perkins's solo in the third section was incredible), "Mouth" was accessible, entertaining, and accomplished in a way that so little student dance is.

Though not all the pieces hit the highs of Perkins's "Mouth" and Conant's "Because I Am," nearly all were worthwhile, and contained moments of interest. This edition of Spring Back proved to be an extremely solid and entertaining one, and was relatively free of most of the problems that befall Oberlin dance concerts.

The 1998 Spring Back Dance Concert goes on tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. in Warner Main. Tickets are $2 OCID, $3 seniors and OC staff, and $4 for the general public.