The
University of Minnesota Duluth
Department of Theatre
presents
Pulse Points Dance Concert
Ann Aiko Bergeron, Artistic Director
Max Pollack, Special Guest Artist & Choreographer
February 9-12, 2006
Lighting Design Approach
Every four years UMD Theatre produces a dance concert as part of its Main Stage Season. This opportunity allows a number of designers and choreographers to work collaboratively on several different dance pieces brought together into a single production. Pulse Points gave eight different UMD lighting designers the opportunity to work on seventeen different pieces from a single repertory light plot.
ABACLAC
| Choreographer | Max Pollack | |
| Scenic Designer | Karen Hoffman | |
| Costume Designer | Laura Piotrowski | |
| Lighting Designer | Jim Eischen |
This dance had an organic quality to it, as it reflected impressions of earth, water and wind. The dance utilized a screen covered with stretchy fabric that allowed the dancers to imprint parts of their bodies into it from behind - arms, hands, even faces - for some unusual visual effects. The lighting designer projected slowly moving patterns on the screen for an added layer of texture.
| Choreographer | LilaAnn Coates | |
| Costume Designer | Laura Piotrowski | |
| Lighting Designer | Alex Flinner |
Set to Appalachian music, this piece had a very open composition with a front wash of gold and gently moving soft images on the cyclorama to underscore the folksy spirit of the dance.
A Rhythm Tick
| Choreographer | Ann Aiko Bergeron | |
| Scenic Designer | Karen Hoffman | |
| Costume Designer | Amy Gabbert | |
| Lighting Designer | Jim Eischen |
Combined with video projections, dancers represented numbers from one to eight in this techno theatre dance piece lit with full stage clean, cool white light.
Labyrinth
| Choreographer | Krissy Fromm | |
| Scenic Designer | Lauren Meister | |
| Costume Designer | Alison Rouzer | |
| Lighting Designer | Silka Phyllis Werness |
With references to Inanna's Decent into the Underworld, a woman's journey through life is represented as a passage through a labyrinth. High contrasting colors and angles were used to show balance and symmetry in the dance.
| Choreographer | Ann Aiko Bergeron | |
| Scenic Designer | Karen Hoffman | |
| Costume Designer | Sarah Bahr | |
| Lighting Designer | Karen Hoffman |
This Japanese piece reflected the mysteries of Eastern cultures. Bamboo poles and isolated pools of light were used as visual metaphors throughout the dance.
Free Rhythm Giveaway
| Choreographer | Ben Elledge | |
| Scenic Designer | Silka Phyllis Werness | |
| Costume Designer | Katie Berg | |
| Lighting Designer | Matt Olson |
A fun tap/vocal jazz/percussion jam session using contrasting saturated colors.
| Choreographer | Andy Frye | |
| Scenic Designer | Lauren Meister | |
| Costume Designer | Sarah Bahr | |
| Lighting Designer | Jessica Fries |
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A journey piece featuring the pulse of a heart beat that takes the audience through the major events of a woman's life.
Urban Cadence
| Choreographer | Laura Brist | |
| Scenic Designer | Ashley Woods | |
| Costume Designer | Ashley Woods | |
| Lighting Designer | David Premack |
With its primal warrior feel, this piece included dancers drumming on wooded blocks built into their costumes.
illumi nation
| Choreographer | Chantelle Traczyk | |
| Costume Designer | Katie Berg | |
| Lighting Designer | David Premack |
A fun-loving piece that tells the story of a rather bizarre alien culture with universal social concerns we all can relate to. Black light and iridescent costumes create a foreign, non-threatening environment worthy of a visit!
Aurora Rumbalis
| Choreographer | Max Pollack | |
| Costume Designer | Amy Gabbert | |
| Lighting Designer | Mark Harvey |
Our overall theme for the Pulse Points Dance Concert was the celebration of the universal nature of rhythm we all feel, so we concluded the concert with a singing/tap/jazz piece with a projection of a celestial sky in the background.