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Page 10.-The Michigan Daily-Friday, September 25, 1987
People Dancing'
encourages new
forms
.By Amy Koch
oid of tu-tu's and other
exaneous dance paraphanelia,
Whitley Setrakian and her People
Dancing company break the mold of
stereotypical dance as they bound
across Lydiia Mendelssohn stage in
explosion of motion and
emotion. An intriguing and
innovative combination, People
Dancing will perform five modern
dances while accompanied by the
Ann Arbor Chamber Orchestra.
Whitley Setrakian, founder,
choreographer, and artistic director of
People Dancing, is a native New
Yorker who is definitely wise to the
happenings of the art world. Not
only has she studied at NYC's High
School of the Performing Arts (of
Fame fame), American Ballet
Center, and Alvin Ailey School, but
she has also attended and taught at
the University.
Setrakian's founding of People
Dancing in 1983 gave her the
opportunity to employ her theatrical
talents and provide the public with
her perception of dance. Thriving on
experimentation, Setrakian's
combination of theatrics, speech,
movement and props make her
CANTERBURY HOUSE
Sunday Schedule
(The Chaplaincy of the Episcopal
Church to the U-M Community)
218 N. Division St.
Lunch following the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist
at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
(across Catherine St. from Canterbury House)
5:00 p.m. Eucharist (followed by supper)
works comparable to drama. Sorry
all you Business School types, but
in order to appreciate People
Dancing's symbolic content, you
must let rationality rest for two
hours and not intellectualize a literal
thematic message. Rather, as
Setrakian asserts, "let the images
wash over you like a dream so you
can come away feeling like you have
experienced something."
Similar to theatre, the five
featured dances all carry a distinct
theme or feeling throughout the
dance. "Fond du Lac," a macabre
study of Victorian repression,
embodies Setrakian's "marriage of
theatre, dance and humor." I n
contrast to "classical" dance,
Setrakian replaces the graceful leaps
of the seemingly "programmed"
ballerina with crawling, erratic
movements, and insightful facial
expressions. All such actions
succeed in supplying an
overwhelming sense of lonliness to
the piece. Moreover, these actions
lend the dance a surreal quality
because each dancer is so involved
with his own movement that, even
when touching others, he is
psychologically isolated.
Spontaneity is a key element in
a People Dancing production. It is
not uncommon for, as in "Fond du
Lac," Setrakian to suddenly pull out
chairs, disrobe, or stop all music and
insert dialogue into the dance. The
dialogue is extremely functional in
that it both provides a sense of
° ',, - ,
ALL WELCOME
Members of the innovative Ann Arbor dance company 'People Dancing.'
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drama and gives concrete background
to an abstract art. Though I only
viewed "Fond du Lac" at the
rehearsal, it's impressive
presentation justifies me in feeling
that the other four works will be just
as promising.
People Dancing, accompanied by
the Ann Arbor Chamber Orchestra,
will be performing Baroque Goes
Modern at the Lydia Mendelssohn
Theatre tonight and tomorrow night
Both performances are scheduled to
begin at 8 p.m. Reserved seats are
$8, $10, and $12 available at Firs
Position Dancewear, 522 E. Willian
Street.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 1987
. "
A Major Events Presentation
F
r s
BORDERING
ON
OBNOXIOUS
DOMINO'S PIZZA
SUPER SUNDAY
TWO 10" PIZZAS $6.00
On Sunday Sept. 27, 1987 you can get two
10" Pizzas with one topping for only $6.00!
Save $1.26.
Additional toppings just 99$ for both pizzas..
Tax included.
Offer good only on Sun. Sept. 27,1987
and only betwen the hours of 4pm-12 midnight.
No other coupons accepted with this offer.
Ann Arbor locations only.
® Domino's Pizza 1987
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Well, not really obnoxious, just very enthusiastic about the
U of M! The College of Literature, Science and the Arts is
interviewing students to work for an alumni fundraising
telethon. The LS&A Phonathon runs five nights a week
from October 11 to November 19. You will be able to
select the two nights out of the five you wish to work with
some opportunity to work additional nights.
PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT
Hours: 6:30 - 9:30
Pay: $4.00 / hr. plus bonus
LSA Students Preferred
763-5576
The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer
Saturday, October 7
Hill Auditorium 8 pm
Charge by Phone 763-TKTS
Tickets at the Michigan Union Ticket Office
and all jr :i*Outlets
OEM
FEELING LOST
AT
U
THE BIG "U"?
Delta Chi offers
. . . 4,
-.". '
-"
" Close knit friendship
. Leadership opportunities
. True brotherhood
" An active social life
4
RUSH KICKOFF
Pre-porker Party, Saturday, September 26 at 10:00pm
Pig Roast, Sunday, September 27 at 4:00pm
Followed by Open Rush Monday thru Thursday from 7-10:00pm
COME HOME TO
DELTA CHI.!
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