8 -The Michigan Daily - Monday, March 13, 2000 ARTs Tribute to Mandinka breaks mold By Nick Falzone Daily Arts Writer Hundreds of people gathered in the Power Center to view a Sene- galese dance company Thursday evening in their premiere Ann Arbor and University Musical Soci- ety performance. Despite the group's name, Les Ballets d'Afrique Noire and its reference to one of dance's most traditional forms, the company's show broke all the stereotypes of traditional ballet. "The Mandinka Epic" featured not a single artist in a tutu, leotard or pointe shoe. Instead, the per- formers went without footwear and wore vibrant, colorful costumes that reflected upon the subject of the show - the history of the Mandinka tribe, a group in Western Africa, and their rise to power from the 12th to the 14th Century. In addition to using unconven- tional types of ballet costuming, the show utilized a style of dancing that most of the audience had not previously seen in a ballet perfor- mance. Instead of delicately traips- ing about the stage, the performers often gyrated across it, thrashing their heads violently while quickly moving their limbs. The dancing, though wilder than the style found in traditional ballet, still required extensive choreography and great skill on the part of the performers. The dancers, due to their powerful intensity and notable talent, suc- ceeded in visually stimulating the audience. As well as being a spectacle for the eyes, the vast majority of the Les Ballets d'Afrique Noire Power Center Thursday, March 9 presentation provided a beautiful and intense experi- ence for the ears. The music and songs, both expertly per- formed, were delightful to listen to. At times, though, the sound svs- tem that amplified the performers' two speakers at the sides of the stage, greeting the audience with a noise similar to a bee's buzz. At the same time, a performer appeared on stage and began speaking to the audience in a voice that the sound system only intermittently ampli- fied. The combination of the errors seemed to be a poor omen for the performance's future. Fortunately for the show, the sound system was fixed quickly and transmitted the performers' voices well throughout the rest of the show. The audience easily forgot about the initial technical problems as the performance progressed; the intensity of the performers' voices and music greatly outweighed the errors at the beginning. The standing ovation at the end of the show was testament to the incredible musical talent of the per- formers. The entire audience clapped vigorously during the bows and during the encore when five musicians brought their bongo drums out on stage. The applause continued in full force for five min- utes as the performers filled the air with vibrant rhythms. Providing an excellent culmination to the perfor- mance, the drummers amazed everyone in the crowd with their playing abilities. The audience left the show, satisfied and invigorated, with a new perspective on both African history and ballet. 4 I Jfrthlkrurepregnant n ve ca.e Anyt~m~ ay dy~24 hours. voices and instruments failed to transmit an enjoyable tune to the audience. The most obvious occurrence of the system's faultiness took place at the beginning of the show's first act. The performance commenced with the off-stage playing of a tra- ditional African instrument that would have produced wonderful music, if not for the system's dis- tortion of its tone. Instead of a mel- lifluous sound, the instrument blared extremely loudly over the Camp Michigania Alumni Association of the University of Michigan Working at the University of Michigan alumni camp is a rewarding and exciting opportunity. 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