Simply incandescent!

Well, that was not very good.

This was the first show after Barbara Land left, and I imagine there is some unsteadiness going on in the dance department.  The one I went to in the spring was enjoyable.  For this one, I'm glad I didn't take anyone with me.  If Tracy or Mom went, we would have been rolling our eyes at each other.  Now, I realize that UNR is probably not known for its dance program, and you will probably point out that this is another reason to go spend some time in a place where I'll be able to go see some (much) better performances.  Duly noted.  It didn't all suck, and I'm not sorry I went.  A lot of that was just normal college performance bullshit, like people hooting out the names of the people they came to see, and cheering because they thought everything was just excellent, but I am a snobby dance critic now and I wasn't there for anyone but me.

There were interesting things I found out that I have apparently taken for granted over the years.  For example, the need for providing enough house lights between performances so people can consult their programs without needing the blinding blue light from their cell phones.  Some people used them during the performances.  Lovely.  Then there's the guy next to me who ate two packages of Twix and left the wrappers on the floor because he's used to his mommy picking up after him.  Asshole.  People started the applause before the dances were over and all that nonsense, but the kid who clapped when the dancers did something impressive and neat was promptly shushed.

No, the audience did not help, nor did the music.  There was a dubstep contemporary piece in there, which was actually one of the better ones.  Cari Cunningham was a guest teacher in my Dance Criticism class, and she is now part of the dance department, so I was expecting to see my fourth or fifth piece by her.  She was not in the program, but the first dance was so clearly her choreography that someone either stole her whole shtick, or she's changed her name.  There was also a performance by the new hip hop class which is not going to win any competitions anytime soon.  I feel like Niles and/or Frasier over here, poo-pooing the whole thing, so I'll tell you what I did like.

A piece narrated by Carl Sagan started the second half, which started to be interesting.  It should have been done by one dancer instead of twelve, but they've got to fit a lot of dancers in somewhere.  The next one was probably the most intriguing, with interesting costumes, music, and holy shit, some innovative dancing!  It had some ruts, but it was completely workable and finally caught my attention.  Also in the second half was a solo performance by the new dance teacher.  I had panned her first piece, but this one made me reconsider.  She had everyone caught.  Nice job.  The last one was a horrible piece of tribal caca with my least favorite dance move ever: everyone runs around the stage in a big circle.  Ooo.  Didn't see that coming.

And while I'm back to negativity, let me tell you about the weirdest thing ever.  One dance started with all the girls in costumes that were essentially a bra and underwear.  Across the back of the stage were two clotheslines with dresses that came straight from the prairie.  Halfway through the dance, they all go get their dresses and put them on.  I was horrified.  For one, I'm sure these were legitimate costumes according to somebody, but no, not really.  It was underwear.  Can you imagine?  Not like a bodysuit kind of costume where you're supposed to see a dancer's form, blah blah blah, but underwear.  It was uncomfortable, and not in an artsy fartsy kind of way.  If that's not bad enough, they have dyed the one black girl's underwear brown.  You're not trying to match skin tone on anybody else, you're trying to go for underwear!  What the fuck!  And how about some bloomers, you perverts!  That would go better with the whole Oklahoma/Appalachian Spring vibe you're trying to pull off!  Jesus.

As with all my dance review disclaimers, if anyone other than Mom or Tracy is still reading this, I apologize.  They like reading my dance reviews, and are probably having a lot of fun imagining the show.  Hopefully you are too.  It's on again tomorrow night.  Don't go see it.