February 17, 1970
The N. C. Essay
Page 4
AILEY REVIEWED
by vSflH py V/ill/flAlS
The Artful DoDf^ER
NCSA Literary Magazine
MOW ACCEPTING CONTRIBUTIONS FOR
THE SPRING ISSUE.
fliKE Ferguson 1 ^
^ Editors
Toni Angevine
The Alvin Alley Dance Theater
appeared Friday, February 13, at the
University of North Carolina at Greens
boro. The dancers' performance was
technically superb as compared to
other Modern companies, but the Alvin
Ailey company lacked the enthusiasm
to project any excitement to their
audience.
The program began with Danae
For Six, choreography by Joyce
Trisler. This work contained ballet
and modern movements seasoned with
acrobatic flavoring. These con
glomerated movements produced an un
successful work. The dancers per
formed easily, moving smoothly
across the stage; however, the lifts
were often strained and jerky.
After intermission the curtain
opened on Poeme, choreographed by
Pauline Koner. The pas de deux of
the exploration of two sensitive
young people was disappointing. It
seemed that not enough rehearsal
time had been used to perfect the
work. Many times it appeared shaky
and very concentrated. There was
never any tenderness or communication
between the two dancers as they per
formed the piece Miss Koner has
beautifully set to Samuel Barber's
musicj Conaerto for Piano and Orches
tra,
Metdltios opened with one girl
dressed in black standing behind a
line of pipes. Her dance to electronic
music was good and strong especially
in the use of her head. Later a
couple dressed in white appeared and
danced a simple and honest pas de deux.
The effects of lighting, props, and
music were very impressive as was the
dancing.
EDITORIAL
(odn't from 'page 2)
the point:
2 KLH record players
2 KLH speakers
2 microphones (Neuman Telefunken)
2 amplifiers (Neuman Telefunken)
15 fglding music stands
45 music stand lights
1 Sony 777 tape recorder
2 flutes - one belonging to the
school, the other to a student
1 trumpet
The total cost of replacing the
equipment would amount to between 3
and 4 thousand dollars. The school
has contacted the Director of the State
Bureau of Investigation and asked for
assistance in apprehending the stolen
equipment.
Another step the school has taken
to prevent these burglaries is to in
vestigate the possibility of a new
lock system for the Moore and Sanford
Dormitories.
Two possibilities are being dis
cussed. First, all of the present
locks could be replaced by similar
(aon't next aolwm)
The company concluded with
Revelations. The choreography was by
Alvin Ailey and was definitely the
high spot of the evening. This work
includes five couples who dance to
traditional spirituals. Though the
tempos were varied, the dancers
were able to adapt easily and dance
with the assuredness of their bodies
and personalities. This work was
expressive and they performed
Revelations with the soul only found
in Negro dancers.
Two former dancers of NCSA are
now with the Alvin Ailey Company.
Leland Schwantes is a dancer while
Gene Lowry is Lighting Director.
Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater started in March of 1958.
They have since toured colleges and
universities, appeared in Arts
Festivals throughout the U.S. and in
1963 appeared at the International
Festival of Rio de Janerio. Also
in 1967 they had a nine week tour of
ten African countries under the
auspices of the U.S. State Department.
(oon't from first aolumn)
locks but with new master keys. This
would cost around $4,000 and would in
volve waiting 60 to 90 days for de
livery of the cylinders. The other
possibility is the maximum security
locks similar to the ones on the
offices and the music studios in the
Main Building. Keys for these locks
cannot be duplicated except by the
manufacturer and then only with spe
cial written permission from the pur
chaser. Students would have to pay a
$20 key deposit which would be refun
ded at the end of the year provided
the dy was not lost. If the key were
lost, the $20 would be used to replace
the lock, not the key.
Neither system could be installed
for use this semester and the Student
Government is allegedly soliciting the
opinions of student about the system
and their willingness to pay a $20 key
deposit.
The problem still faces us as a
serious one, but definite measures
are being taken to alleviate and con
trol the theft. In the arrests and
investigations which police have re
cently made, the only clues available
were provided by students. Maybe the
administration is not entirely inaccu
rate by stating that they need the
students' help in apprehending the
criminals in these campus thefts.
******* A***
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LETTERS
(aon't from page 2)
premises—hardly worth publishing
in an elementary school bulletin,
let alone in a college publication—
but I forget; this is NCSA.
By the way, in a recent con
versation I was slyly and very in
directly simi-accused of enjoying
seeing institutions for the arts
closing. Well, let me say that
the arts have only been the center
of my planning and studies for the
past six years and I knov* ail too
well their shakey and uncertain
standing in the United States today,
and that if I was such a masochist
to even think such a pathetic in
justice, I would be either crazy
or have a gun in my back. However,
the existence of artistic edu
cational institutions at the expense
of human beings' emotional stabil
ities, their futures, their money,
and four to eight years of their
lives, is a grotesque travesty on
nature.
I have a strong belief that
no matter what you are or do in
life—be you actor, plumber,
musician. King, dancer, judge, or
farmer—you are a human being FIRST,
and whatever you do for a living
SECOND. And if the normal human
being side of the education in a per
forming arts school is not cultivated
and encouraged, or at least allowed
to progress normally (without the
allowed aid of stimulative or de
pressive crutches) then warped,
emotionally unstable, and very
dependent half-people are the result
of the training, or lack of it.
This result, at the expense of the
existence of such a school is wrong
and indeed unnatural. I find the
ideas and ideals brilliant and
beautiful, but the actuallity in
credibly lacking with guinea pig stu
dents nervously biding their
time with dulled searching eyes and
peals of phony, uncertain laughter.
I can stand criticism. I'm
learned in that. But I cannot abide
any unclear and broad references to
my person, and this is the first time
I have ever experienced this in any
publication of even limited circu
lation, such as this one. A man,
they say, is best judged by his
peers. But I am very unclear as to
what that recent comment was or meant,
and I can only wonder. If you're
going to start a project, idea, or
even attack, fellow students, don't
just meddle around with half-way.
Go ALL THE WAY, OR NOT AT ALL!