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“Glitz and Glamour” of Ohio Northern University
Ohio Northern University
is getting all glammed-up this weekend.
The winter dance show, titled “Glitz and Glamour,” will
take the stage in the Freed Center for the Performing Arts at 8 pm.
Jan. 26. The performance will incorporate dance and music from the ’30s,
’40s and ’50s.
The ONU Dance Company Director, Laurie Bell, selected and invited six
choreographers to create dances for the performance. The choreographers
are: Josh Hilberman, Javier Cordoba, Bill Evens, Jeff Shade, Julie Cartier
and Veronica Rocco. They have been working with ONU students on dance
technique and choreography over the past weeks. Many University students
are involved on the stage, in the house and behind the scenes.
Tapper Josh Hilberman, who has danced with Manhattan Tap and the American
Tap Dance Orchestra and has had his choreography performed around the
world, is contributing two tap pieces to the upcoming show. His numbers
will be performed to “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
by Irving Berlin and “I Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin.
Sydney Kuhlman, sophomore communication arts major, is involved in Hilberman’s
pieces, and commented on his rigorous rehearsals.
“We worked our butts off, but he made it so fun that the time
passed really quickly,” she said. “I learned more in two
days of rehearsal than I thought was possible, and I loved every minute
of it.”
Javier Cordoba will present three jazz fosse dances using the music
“It’s De Lovely,” “So in Love” and “Too
Darn Hot” by Cole Porter.
“Josh Hilberman and Javier Cordoba were so fun to work with,”
freshman pharmaceutical business major Kaylah Mathis said. “They
were like big balls of energy at all times.”
Bill Evens is a full time visiting guest artiest and professor at the
New York College at Brokport. He was a professor of Dance Emeritus at
the University of New Mexico through 2004, and is the Artistic Director
of the Bill Evans Dance Company, the Bill Evans Summer Dance Intensives,
the Bill Evans Rhythm Tap Ensemble, and the Evans Modern Dance Technique
Teaching certification program.
For the Ohio Northern performance, he choreographed a modern piece using
the songs “A Foggy Day” by George Gershwin, and “Putting
on the Ritz” by Irving Berlin.
Many of his dancers commented that they liked Evans’ use of terms
like “noodle” to represent modern moves in their dance.
Julie Cartier is the Artistic Director for Especially Tap Chicago Dance
Company. For Ohio Northern, she choreographed two dances to the songs
“Rialto Ripples Rag” and “Prelude II” by George
Gershwin. Her jazz style is very upbeat and high energy.
Many of her dancers commented that they enjoyed working with a choreographer
with so much energy and vision. Some dancers chose to audition for her
numbers because they enjoyed working with her as a choreographer at
ONU in the past.
Unique to this show is the work of ballroom dance choreographer Veronica
Rocco, who was the National Champion in 1979 in Miami Florida. She continued
as a teacher, performer, and competitor until she started her own ballroom
business in 1994. She opened Danse Royale Ballroom in Westchester, Ohio,
in October 2003. Rocco held auditions and her first rehearsals over
Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
Finally, there is the work of Jeff Shade, who worked as dance captain
of Broadway’s “Chicago” while mentored by Bob Fosse.
He was in charge of a musical jazz piece for the ONU show to “Blow
Gabriel Blow” by Cole Porter.
Sophomore science major Emily Hart appreciated Shade’s dedication
to his number.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so sore after a rehearsal,”
she said, “but it was just proof of the hard work we put into
the show.”
Jeff knew many of his dancers planned to audition in the future for
either dance or theatre. Coming from a background of auditioning in
New York City, he helped student dancers by sharing tips on how to best
present themselves and what they have to offer during auditions.
Many students involved enjoyed comparing and contrasting the varying
styles of teaching among the choreographers. They enjoyed learning about
themselves as learners during the audition and rehearsal process.
“Jeff Shade probably gave the best audition I have ever taken,”
Kelly Cholewa, a senior civil engineering major, said. “It was
completely worth it, especially for all of the auditioning tips he gave
us throughout the weekend.”
Mathis compared the two choreographers she had the chance to work with.
“The audition process for both [Hilberman and Cordoba] were kind
of challenging in different ways,” Mathis said. “Hilberman
just threw a lot of steps at us all at once, while Cordoba threw us
few steps but very quickly.”
Live music for the show will be provided by the Ohio Northern University
Symphony Orchestra, directed by Lloyd Butler. All of the show music
was composed by Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin. Costume
design is lead by Cathy Smalley.
Strap on your dancing shoes, and get ready for an evening of excitement.
Box Office 419/772-1900
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Interested in writing previews? OhioDance is seeking submissions for this page for performances anywhere in Ohio. Writers are encouraged to interview the choreographer and/or some of the dancers and possibly attend a rehearsal in order to give the potential audience a glimpse of what the choreographer/performers are working to present. Photos to illustrate the article are welcomed. You may ask OhioDance to help you make contacts if needed, or for a list of performances in your area. Your work may be edited by the Preview Page editors (who are professional writers), and there is no guarantee the preview will be posted on this page. OhioDance encourages submission of the preview 3-4 weeks before the performance, but will consider previews submitted within 2 weeks of the date. For more information, contact OhioDance at 614/224-2913 or e-mail |
