Roll over, Tennessee Williams, and tell Erskine Caldwell the news.

8232Yes, it’s true: as a general rule we video types will happily shoot anything that moves. That said, I believe there are few things as satisfying as shooting and editing dance, and if comes in the form of dance theatre, so much the better.

“Dance theatre,” much in vogue in the dance world these days, may be defined as the theatrical representation of a story that is set to music and performed by trained dancers. In much the same way that opera is drama expressed through music, dance theatre (also known as “concert dance” and “dance drama”) uses movement and gesture to define characters and propel the narrative.

29782John Malashock, Artistic Director of San Diego’s Malashock Dance, is an accomplished practitioner of dance theatre whose past work in the genre includes two collaborations with UCSD-TV (and Your Humble Correspondent), “Soul of Saturday Night” and “Love & Murder.” In “Snakeskin” Malashock has teamed with Krishan Oberoi, Artistic Director for the acclaimed choral ensemble SACRA/PROFANA, to present a piece inspired by the work of Tennessee Williams, in particular Williams’ 1957 play “Orpheus Descending.” “Snakeskin” tells the story of a small Southern town whose surface placidity is disrupted by the arrival of a drifter in a snakeskin jacket. His presence arouses (ahem) unseemly passions in several of the town’s womenfolk, and as you might expect the tale unfolds in the best Southern Gothic tradition.

29781All of the members of SACRA/PROFANA are singers as well as instrumentalists, and Oberoi’s original music and lyrics range through a variety of influences, from neo-baroque to folk-rock to Stravinsky. Malashock’s choreography is equally diverse, by turns lyrical, combative, and athletic. The Forum Theatre at UC San Diego proved to be the ideal setting for a work that relies on intimacy for its impact (and it’s an excellent video venue in the bargain).

“Snakeskin” is a cogent illustration of the artistic maxim that “there is universality in specificity.” Though the inspiration, costumes and stage design speak of a distinct period and setting, this oft-told story achieves freshness through the interplay of sound and kinetics, and acquires a near-mythic status as it plumbs themes of bigotry, class, small-town isolation, chauvinism, and sexual jealousy. Tennessee Williams would be so proud.

Watch Snakeskin – Malashock Dance + SACRA/PROFANA and browse more programs from Malashock Dance.

———-

Contributed by John Menier, Arts & Humanities Producer

 

TV Program Educates Youth About HIV/AIDS

(Press Release) This September UCSD-TV premieres “The Rhythm of Her Step: A Song of San Diego,” an energetic, site-specific dance video that utilizes the talents of local choreographers Jean Isaacs, grace shinhae jun (bkSOUL), and UCSD-TV director John Menier, to educate urban teens and young adults about the vital topic of HIV/AIDS awareness. The program […]

(Press Release) This September UCSD-TV premieres “The Rhythm of Her Step: A Song of San Diego,” an energetic, site-specific dance video that utilizes the talents of local choreographers Jean Isaacs, grace shinhae jun (bkSOUL), and UCSD-TV director John Menier, to educate urban teens and young adults about the vital topic of HIV/AIDS awareness. The program premieres September 15th at 8:30pm on UCSD-TV and repeats throughout the month.

The half-hour video follows the story of a teenage girl as she faces her recent HIV positive diagnosis. Told through flashback sequences that incorporate dance, poetry and rhythmic music, the girl evaluates the choices she made that lead to her HIV status and ultimately takes responsibility for her actions and their consequences.

The program was sponsored by County Television Network (CTN), Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater, and UCSD-TV. A DVD version of “The Rhythm of Her Step: A Song of San Diego” will also be distributed to schools throughout San Diego County as part of the program’s grant-funded effort to educate at-risk youth, particularly African-American and Latina women, about HIV/AIDS prevention.

Shot at various locations around Encinitas, including Lou’s Records, the San Dieguito Boys and Girls Club, and San Dieguito Academy, the program features local dancers from Jean Isaacs’ San Diego Dance Theater and bkSOUL, a local Hip Hop/postmodern performance company. The music featured in the video was composed and performed by local DJ Shammy Dee (Arash Haile).

Watch: The Rhythm of Her Step: A Song of San Diego