By Taylor Navis
The air whirls around me as if I’m in a wind tunnel; the source, six fans hanging from the ceiling. The dance studio is speckled with scuff marks, however surprisingly, reflections of the dancers’ feet can be seen. Music fills the space and warms the room from the never-ending current of air.
The walls are lined with balance beams, except for one, which contains almost floor to ceiling mirrors. The woman in front of me, clad in all black, demonstrates different step combinations. Her wavy hair, the color synonymous with her outfit, grazes the top of her shoulders while she moves.
Her name is Denise Carlson-Gardner and she is an instructor for the theater and dance program at UW-Green Bay. Her smile fills her whole face as she watches the dancers perform her choreography. Carlson-Gardner has been teaching at UWGB for over 20 years, according to Kailey Rhinehart of the Fourth Estate.
Student dancers listen to Carlson-Gardner (in black) in class. /Photo by Taylor Navis
Carlson-Gardner is a very busy woman. She teaches 12 different dance classes, choreographs for university theater performances, and is the main choreographer and creator of the university’s program, DanceWorks, according to UWGB’s Employee Spotlight.
DanceWorks is, “…a concert of faculty and student choreography”, according to a news release from UW-Green Bay News.
Over 10 pieces are performed in each DanceWorks show, according to past programs. Carlson-Gardner has choreographed at least half of the pieces in each–with six out of 13 choreographed by her in this year’s show.
Lighting
Although, auditions are normally held before winter break this year, they were held after. Not only did this give the dancers less time to learn and perfect the pieces, but it also put a time constraint on the other elements of which make the show possible. For instance, lighting.
Before a piece can be performed, it requires its own unique lighting to set the tone in which the music and choreography cannot.
Lynn Schemm, a junior double major in arts management and dance pedagogy, describes the lighting process she went through with her self-choreographed solo.
“Another process that is different when choreographing a solo versus being cast in a group piece is designing your own lighting. Lighting does an amazing job of helping the mood of your piece be apparent to the audience.”
Schemm recalls that she had a fun time while being partnered with a student lighting designer. “You show them your routine, explain the story behind it, and discuss what kind of lighting you see. With that, the lighting designer works their magic to help your vision be seen.”
Hell Week
The week before the show is tech week, however it’s also known as “hell week” to the dancers of the show. Hell week helps check that the music, lights, and position of the dancers in each piece are in sync, and in order for that to happen the dancers need to go through each piece slowly.
“It’s always going to run late. No matter what,” Azure Hall, a sophomore theater major, says in regards to hell week.
In the days before the show props are given out, if required, so the dancers can practice with them. And with the number by Lady Gaga in DanceWorks this year be sure to keep your eyes peeled for some prop-worthy choreography.
The night before the show is the final run-through and picture call, according to Kassie Laylan, a junior elementary education major at UWGB.
The dancers’ work isn’t done even after their final performance. After the show is called “strike”. According to Laylan, Lewis, and Schemm, the dancers help take down lights, roll the floor, put costumes away, clean the dressing room, and tear down props, if any props are large enough to be taken down.
Choreography
Even though Carlson-Gardner is the main choreographer of DanceWorks, there are a few student dancers who have and will perform pieces choreographed by themselves.
Dancers run-through their rhythm tap piece after adding new choreography./Photo by Taylor Navis
Schemm will be performing a solo she choreographed herself. In regard to the process of self-choreography, Schemm has quite a lot to say.
“Having a self-choreographed solo is quite different than being cast in one of Denise’s pieces. Dancing exposes the dancer to judgment and critique, but when it is your own choreography, a dancer is never more vulnerable. When choreographing a solo, the first step is being able to find a song that speaks to you in some way. You want to feel inspired,” Schemm says.
Hannah Lewis, a senior arts management and dance pedagogy major and who has been in DanceWorks for three years, performed an inspired solo last year. The song Lewis used was “Calls Me Home” by Shannon LaBrie, and it represented how her grandparents made her feel. Lewis’ grandparents had recently passed away, and also at the time, she was in the mindset of transferring schools.
“I was this close to tears on the last night.” Lewis holds up measured fingers. “It was very hard to get through.”
Lewis will be performing another solo she choreographed this year and the subject of her piece will be “rebirth”.
Lewis chose rebirth to show life’s journey. “All throughout our lives we build a home and with that comes memories. Our memories stay with us until we turn to dust.” Lewis believes that when our life’s journey ends, it is time to be born again and create new memories.
The next step, Schemm described dealt with a unique problem﹘choreography block.
“Just like writers, choreographers often have ‘choreography block’. That, I think, is one of the trickiest parts of having a solo. With the deadline of the show, “choreography block” is not something you want to experience. Once the routine is finished, Denise has to see the piece and approve what you have done. Often what is first choreographed is not what the final product on the stage will look like.”
In comparison to last year’s show, this year’s DanceWorks is hard-hitting and most of the pieces within the show are meant to make the viewer think, according to a couple of dancers.
In regards to what the audience will see this year, Carlson-Gardner says, “The styles range from contemporary to classical jazz, jazz funk to classical and rhythm tap,” according to the news release.
More Than a Show
Not only is DanceWorks meant to make the audience learn and evoke emotion, it also means a lot to the dancers themselves.
To Lewis, dance is more to her than just an outlet. “If I didn’t have dance I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. Dance is the one thing I have where I can just create and not be judged. The studio is a place where everyone can just dance and can be used as an escape from the fast-paced motions of everyday life.”
Lewis is not the only one impacted by the opportunities dance DanceWorks offers.
“DanceWorks to me is an opportunity to share my passion for dance with others. I have been dancing since I was three years old and it truly has shaped me into the person I am today.” Schemm smiles, “DanceWorks allows me to take the skills and techniques learned in class and apply it to creative and innovative routines in various dance styles. Not only does it allow me to share my passion with an audience, but I also get to share it with fellow cast members who also love to dance.”
Laylan also weighed in on her overall experience.
“DanceWorks means quite a bit to me. I’ve been a part of the production since my freshman year, and since then I’ve looked forward to this time of year. I personally feel like DanceWorks has not only helped me become a more expressive dancer, but also a more expressive and confident person off the stage.”
Laylan continues, “Going along with that, in dance classes leading up to DanceWorks, I have improved technically with my movements and I have better control of my body when focusing on skills. From the people that are now some of my closest friends to being able to express myself and what I love to do: DanceWorks is a wonderful experience to be a part of.”
DanceWorks returns this semester to the University Theater on April 9 at 7:30 p.m. and on April 10 at 3 p.m. Be sure to check it out!
The Avenue 