Modernextension Dance Company will throw away its playbook and take to the stage with an improvised and organic performance this Saturday in Gerrard Hall. The company will use dance to explore the theme of disruption at various levels, from molecular to political disruption.
“We are exploring disruption in a positive way, social way, personal way and political way,” said Meredith Katibah, who is beginning her second year with Modernextension. “At first, you get the vibe that disruption can only be negative, but we just wanted to flip it around and show the audience that there can be a positive disruption.”
The dancers expressed the hope that audience members will put down their phones and really connect with one another after they leave the performance.
“Art is beautiful, and it’s visually appealing, but we want it to spark conversation,” said Katibah.
However, the audience members are not the only ones who will be nudged out of their comfort zones on Saturday. First-year Alex Giblin said she was nervous for the upcoming performance because her background is in ballet, a very structured style of dance.
“I’m nervous for it, but I’m also excited because I think doing improv will help me learn to just dance what I’m feeling inside instead of just set choreography,” Giblin said.
That is not to say that the performance is a free-for-all. Rather, it follows a basic structure that centers on the chosen theme, in this case, disruption.
“We all have a general idea of what’s supposed to happen, like, where we’re supposed to be when this music cue hits or what this section of music is meant, what the movement quality is supposed to be like during a certain section of movement,” Giblin said. “But, as far as the specific movement, that is completely individualized and whatever the person is feeling in the moment.”
Trust plays an especially important role in this dance company, as dancers have to work together in the moment to create a cohesive performance.
