Ann Arbor's a chorus line for
aspir i
By SHELLEY WOLSON
One, two, pliez, four. Pirouette,
pirouette, slide into an arabesque and
then bring the leg to passe. Repeat.
The leotards stretch and pull with the
lithe bodies as they bend and sway in
time to the beat. This is just one of
many combinations to perfect before
the rigorous rehearsal is over.
WHETHER IT IS for personal
fulfillment, individual expression, or
just pure love of the activity, the dancer
dances. The dancer performs, teaches,
choreographs and continues to be
motivated by any number of reasons.
"It's a different medium to express
myself. Emotionally it clicks with me. I
get bored with academics, I don't get
bored with dancing. There's always
something new to explore and really,
it's much harder than
academics-everything has to come out
of yourself," states one University dan-
ce major.
But the art of dance is not restricted
to professionals or dance majors. In the
Ann Arbor community, dance is
ng, pers
currently thriving as an up-and-coming
hobby-mostly for personal pleasure
and the physical exercise obtained
through it.
"THERE'S ALWAYS been a lot of in-
terest and now it's growing," says
University dance department chair-
woman Elizabeth Bergmann. Accor-
ding to Bergmann, people are
becoming more aware of the importan-
ce of the body.
"People want to open that part of
their body up. They're looking for
physical answers," Bergmann says.
It almost seems that the city of Ann
Arbor cultivates this new physical
reality in its citizens. Bergmann notes,
"Ann Arbor has a sophisticated
residency and it opens people up to
themselves-it s opened up their
creative expression. It (Ann Arbor
dance) teaches people how to work for
themselves and is a self-directed ac-
tivity-you grow into who you are."
THE UNIVERSITY contributes to
the growing movement of wanting to be
physically toned and in shape by of-
fering classes to the community and
piring dancers
non-dance majors along with their
regularly scheduled classes for dance
majors.
After becoming a dance department
under the University's School of Music
in July of 1974, the Department has in-
creased its caliber immensely. "We
can now hold auditions and we've ac-
cepted 56 students for next year-12
graduate students and all the rest are
undergrads," says Bergmann.
The dance department offers classes
in Modern, Afro-American and Ballet
for non-majors and also offers classes
through the Residential College and
Pilot Program. The department is also
going to help out the theatre depar-
tment by offering a class in stage
movement, starting this fall.
"WE WISH WE could offer
more-our classes are always closed
the first day of registration. We can't
offer near as many as there should be,"
Bergmann laments. The department
has spawned many professional dan-
cers who have gone on to dance in
famous modern dance companies such
as Alvin Ailey or Martha Graham.
The University dance department of
fers about the largest ,selection of
classes in the community, but there are
many small companies and dance
studios around from which to choose
You can even get involved in the Anr
Arbor Civic Ballet.
But according to one Art Worlds' (a
local center for art instruction) dance
teacher, you almost have to leave Ann
Arbor if you plan to continue in dance
professionally.
"A LOT OF people leave after they
get good-after a certain point, there's
no company here you can progress
with," she says.
Depending on the style or technique
you're into, or if you're not into
teaching, dance students need to leave
the comfortable dance niche in Ann Ar-
bor to study further. "People are bran-
ching out," this teacher concludes.
And as for herself? "I love to dance. I
like to perform, I like to teach and I like
to choreograph. There's a lot. of
satisfaction in seeing your own
choreography performed.
"I'm in dance for life."
Daily -noto Dy MNDY FREEE
Nikolais dancers spin into oblivion during a recent performance by the Modern
Dance Company.
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Stayli
By STEPHEN PICKOVER
If you're accustomed to big city disco
- New York, Los Angeles, Chicago,
San Francisco - you might as well put
your white J.T. suit and black sequined
t-shirts in mothballs for awhile because
things are different out here in the bud-
ding metropolis of Ann Arbor. There is
very little disco to speak of in the city,
and its surrounding environs, at least
the kind that offers the total escapism
afforded in the larger cities through
spasmodic laser lights and snobbish
exclusion, a la Studio 54.
However, there are still places where
you can dance off that spaghetti
Alfredo, perfect your hustle and have
some fun in the meantime.
THE LARGEST disco in the area is
the Suds Factory in Ypsilanti. The
building looks like an airplane hangar
and is decorated like one too.
The place is stuffed with tables and
chairs and appeals to the pinball,
foosball and pool set, in short, those not
yet past adolescence. The music is
primarily rock and roll (more roll, I
I
alive in local discos
day
n.
T 7i '--Mmp
0,
Join us for breakfast at 8 a.m.!
338 S. STATE ST. (South of Nickels Arcade)
Open 8 a.m.-2 a.m., Sundays 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
think), rather than the pulsating disco
sound. The computer-run light show,
billed as the best in the area (which it is
since there are no others) is mediocre
at best.
THE DANCE floor at The Factory is
raised and fairly large which is nice.
But there's something about dancing on
plastic - it makes you feel like a wind-
up toy.
There are specials for different
nights of the week - ladies night, cheap
beer and the like. But the majority of
the clientele, who look like they've just
been weaned, do not come to dance, per
se, but to drink, play the games and
pick up members of the opposite sex.
Because of its size, the sound is absor-
bed fairly well, so it is possible to hear
oneself talk, Most, however, just grunt.
Then there is the Blue Frogge, a disco
lily pad close to home. The Frogge, like
The Factory, has a variety of games,
but they're set aside ina separate
room, hidden from the dancing.
FOR THOSE not interested in long-
term relationships and looking for some
quick fun, this is the place.
The mirrored dance floor is average-
sized and is usually packed with swar-
ming, sweaty bodies, writhing to the top
ten disco tunes. The atmosphere tends
to have that jock-fraternity-beer sheen,
and can get a bit rambunctious, so keep
a low profile. But again, it's the closest
thing to campus.
While things don't tend to get better,
at least they get a little older. The
Jackson Road Logging Co. is
reminiscent of The Frogge, but with a
somewhat older crowd. The at-
mosphere is a bit more sedate, with an
attempt at rustic decor that is sparse
and boring. Again, the music is top ten,
Bee Gees and Donna Summer, but most
of the people are there to socialize, not
dance; Eso all those new steps you have
been working on will only show you off
to the wall, which is probably a tad
more interesting than the singles
you'll meet.
FOR THE'finale, there is the closest
you'll come to "disco" as far as music
in Ann Arbor is concerned. The
Rubaiyat, which is also a restaurant, is
packed Thursday through Saturday
nights, so if you want a lot of dance floor
go on one of the off nights, and practice
to your heart's content. Unlike most of
the local spots, the crowd, mainly in
their twenties, comes to dance.
It should be mentioned that a bit
more than half the couples who
frequent the Rubaiyat are gay, so if you
feel your sexuality may be threatened,
don't go.
OVERALL, the Rubaiyat's at
mosphere is very easy going and
congenial. The management has recen
tly increased the seating space to in-
clude a balcony above the dance floor
for you voyeurs.
So although the local disco scene is
rather bleak, hard core disco freaks
can find relief, to some degree, in near-
by Detroit. But for those only mildly
consumed by night fever, most of the
bars will do the job, and students are
beginning to disco more and more at
private parties.
,_
kU
Daily Photo by PETER SERLING
University students disco feverishly at the Blue Frogge.
do- --NNNINL
b
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