8 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 27, 1998

Students present thesis productions


By Macie Jones
For the Daily
Two graduate students, Ayako Kato
and Ruben Ornelas from the University's
Department of Dance, will be presenting
their thematically different thesis perfor-
mances this weekend. The concert will
be held at studio A in the Betty Pease
Studio Theater (between Stockwell
kesidence Hall and the CCRB) and con-
sists of modem dances choreographed
by Kato and Ornelas who will also be
featured in dance solos.
The event, entitled the MFA (Master

~er~si1g
Acou" __

1

of Fine Arts) Thesis Concert, is an annu-
al occurrence in which students are
required to present their own production
in order to receive their master's degree.
This year, both have choreographed
works that represent their respective cul-
tural heritage.
Ayako Kato is from Yokohama, Japan.
She has studied classical ballet in Tokyo
and modern dance both in the U.S. and
Japan. She earned her BA in
International Studies from Meiji Gakuin
University in Japan, and she is currently
a Barbour Scholarship Recipient at the
University.
"Green Ties" is the name of Kato's
performance. Kato tries to express the
beauty of life and humanity in her piece.
"People, especially in the city, tend to
lose their sense of who they are;" Kato
said. "I wanted to express that everyone
is a very important individual, very pre-
cious.'
"Human beings are sometimes not
like human beings;" she said. "We tend
to lose our fundamental preciousness.
We start to lose our appreciation just for
being. My theme is the sense of realiza-
tion of how each event and each being is
precious and beautiful.'
Kato also tries to show how connected
people are to nature and to each other.
"My dad told me that people's DNA
structure and tree's DNA structure are
the same, and I was very fascinated by
the fact. We are made of molecules,
small things, stardust. When we trace our
ancestors back, we all are brothers and
sisters," Kato said.
Kato's piece is greatly influenced by
traditional Japanese aesthetics and the
haiku poet Matsuo Basho. She incorpo-
rates spiral movements to depict DNA
and screens on which to cast shadows
and images into her performance. She
also dresses all of her dancers in green
scarves to show similarities among peo-
ple yet in different patterned costumes to
show the uniqueness of the individual.

Courtesy of Moonska
Detroit-based group, The Articles, open for The Skatalites at The Majestic.
The Atiles 'Flip
F'Real' nDetroit.

Where Kato has received much of her
artistic education in Japan, Ruben
Ornelas has focused his studies mostly
in the United States and Canada. This
Texas-born artist received classical ballet

1998 MFA
Thesis Concert
Betty Pease Dance
Studio
Tonight and Tomorrow
at 8

training at the
Royal Winnipeg
Ballet in Canada
and modern
dance training at
the Juilliard
School in New
York City. He has
presented his
work at the Fringe
Festival of
Independent
Dance Artists in
Canada, and the
Dia Center for the
Arts, Washington

'I"

Courtesy orAyako 1K
Ayako Kato presents her thesis performance tonight at the Pease Dance Studio.

"iI

v

second piece. "It's a dance to the music
of Louis Moreau Gottschalk, and in that
dance I play with the boundaries
between the audience and the performer.
My goal is to create an atmosphere that
is very casual;" he said.
Ornelas aims to make his work appeal
to audiences beyond the average dance
theater fans, and also those of all ages.
"I want to make dances more accessi-
ble to non-dance audiences ... My goal is
to make dances that appeal to people who
don't normally come to dance theater."
"In a sense, an appeal across a broad
spectrum of people: kids, old people,
young people, middle-aged people, peo-
ple with little education, people with a
lot of education; so that it's more acces-
sible to bring people into the dance audi-
ence or the dance forum," Ornelas said.
Both Kato and Ornelas say they are
excited to have the chance to work on the
performance and are grateful for the
physical and financial resources that
were available to them at the University.
"We were fortunate, we got a grant from
Rackham, and we have dancers available
to us. The setting for me is really very
fortunate, the professors, everybody is
helpful. We don't have to pay for dancers
or for lighting or crew people,'Kato said.
Admission is $Sand seating is limited.

diU t$ a u
display advertising department
wouldlike to thank
JACQUES
for their generous donation

Square Church and other downtown
venues in New York.
Ornelas will present a group piece,
titled "Siren Tears," which draws upon
many images from Mexican Folklore.
"It's a fairy tale I wrote about lost love -
about a mermaid, a drunk and a devil,"
he said. "The drunk loves to drink; the
mermaid loves the drunk and the devil
loves to cause trouble."
"El Catrin y El Musico" is Omelas'

By Curtis Zimmermann
Daily Arts Writer
Local group The Articles will be
opening for industry legends The
Skatalites tomorrow evening at The
Majestic. The Detroit-based act has
emerged on the nationai scene by
playing in a manner resembling the
headliners and its American Jazz pre-
decessors.
The Articles' history began to take
shape in late 1995 when trumpet play-
er Paul Phelps and his guitar playing
brother Derrick teamed up with alto-
sax player Mike Rehfus and drummer
Dan Margulis. After composing some
tracks, they recruited Sean Stillwell to
play tenor sax, and after numerous bass
players, Jim Hohner joined the band on
stand-up bass. What makes the band
different from many of the modern ska
acts is its lack of vocals. The all-instru-
mental sound keeps its music more in
tune with jazz and traditional ska as
opposed to its modern forms.
While discussing the band's style,
Rehfus said in a recent interview that
he doesn't like to define a type of
music by the dictionary definition.
But looking it up quickly in his
Webster's World Wide Web dictio-
nary, Rehfus said, "'Ska is a noun,
etymology unknown, origin 1969, it is
a popular music of Jamaica that com-
bines elements of tradition Caribbean
rhythms and jazz."'
It is these defining elements of
Ska that form the backbone for The
Articles' sound. In some cases, the
band seems to skip ska all together
and focus more on its jazz roots. By
doing this, the members create a
diverse-sounding music that stems
from many origins. Even Rehfus
noted how this has inspired listeners
to focus on the band's predecessors.
"We've probably sold more records
by more Blue Note artists than we
have for ourselves just by people ask-
ing us, where did that song come

recording, Rehfus
The
Articles
The Majestic
Tomorrow at 8 p.m.
record?'
The Articles wen

from or who do you listen to?"
Shortly after its inception, the band
cut its first single and started appear-
ing on numerous compilations. It was
these recordings that first attracted the
attention of Moon Ska Records an
independent label in New York City.
The band released its first album "Flip
F' Real" on June 18 of this past year.
Although it has not sold man
copies, the album has gained the band:
much critical acclaim. Recently it was
named the No. I reggae album of
1997 by Pulse Magazine, Tower
Records' in store publication.
While discussing the actual

said that during
the sessions,
"We were all at
the absolute
top of ou
game at that
point. We were
really focused
on recording
and were really
intent on
reaching and
p l a y i n g
beyond the
capabilities of
what a tap
recorder could
It on an extensive


The University of Michigan
School of Music
Friday, March 27
MFA Performance


I


" modern dance works by Ayako Kato and Ruben T. Ornelas
Betty Pease Studio Theatre, Dance Bldg., 8 p.m. [A dm. $51
Friday - Sunday, March 27- 29
Opera Production
Benjamin Britten: The Turn of the Screw
Martin Katz, conductor
Mendelssohn Theatre, 8 p.m. (Fri.-Sat.);. 2 p.m. (Sun.)
Admission $18, $14, for more information phone 734-764-0450
Saturday, March 28
Digital Music Ensemble
Stephen Rush, music director
* The Long Boom
McIntosh Theatre, E. V. Moore Bldg., 8 p.m.
MFA Performance
- modern dance works by Ayako Kato and Ruben T. Ornelas
Betty Pease Studio Theatre, Dance Bldg., 8 p.m. [Adm. $51
Sunday, March 29
Digital Music Ensemble
Stephen Rush, music director
* The Long Boom
McIntosh Theatre, E. V. Moore Bldg., 3 p.m.
Horn Studio Recital
* students of Bryan Kennedy perform horn repertory
Britton Recital Hall, E. V. Moore Bldg., 5:30 p.m.
Monday, March 30
Guest Lecture
The American String Quartet with composer Kenneth Fuchs
Room 2026, E.V. Moore Bldg., 12:30 p.m.
Guest Lecture/Demonstration
The American String Quartet with composer Kenneth Fuchs
Room 2026, E. V. Moore Bldg., 2:30 p.m.
Vocal Arts Lab
* voice students perform vocal repertory
Britton Recital Hall, E. V. Moore Bldg., 6:45 p.m.
Student Lecture
- Steven Ball: "History of the Evolution of the Pipe Organ"
Blanche Anderson Moore Hall, E. V. Moore Bldg., 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31
University Symphony Orchestra
Kenneth Kiesler, conductor
Timothy Semanik, guest conductor
Kim Kaloyanides, violin
Gabriella Frank, piano
* music by Ravel, G. Frank; Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1
BDAIBFA III Showing.
Betty Pease Studio Theatre, Dance Bldg., 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 2
Opera Workshop
Joshua Major director; Timothy Cheek, music director
* Offenbach: The Lantern Marriage, a comedy in one act
McIntosh Theatre, 5 p.m.
Campus Philharmonia Orchestra
Tania Miller, conductor
Heather Buchman, Steve Huang, Tim Semanik, asst. conductors
- music by Borodin, Debussy, Brahms and Tchaikovsky
McIntosh Theatre, 8 p.m.
Jazz Ensemble
P1 Ian Dnw.. mmeoni ~Arannr

six-month tour of the United States
following "Flip F' Real's" release.
During this time, the band did approx-
imately 130 shows. Following its hia-
tus from the road, the band plans to
head back out on tour this summer,
and then on to Europe in December.
The future of The Articles lookA
extremely promising. "If we can still
work in earnest and really push our-
selves and we can really stay in love
with creating music, then I think
that's really going to take us to where
were going to go;' Rehfus said.
"Wherever that is, who knows."

* Edl