The Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of New Mexico presents EVER/MORE, a faculty dance concert. Artistic director Vladimir Conde Reche leads the evening of dance showcasing original choreography by the resident faculty and international guest artists.
The dance concert will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25 and 26: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 3, 4, and 5 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 27 and March 6, at 2 p.m. at the Rodey Theatre, Center for the Arts, UNM Main Campus.
Ticket prices are $15 general, $12 UNM Faculty and seniors, and $10 UNM Staff and Students. Tickets are available in person at UNM Ticket Offices, by phone at (505) 925-5858, or online.
EVER/MORE is the first faculty dance concert in person and live performance to take place in the UNM Dance Program since March 2020 when the pandemic forced dancers to dance remotely and perform virtually. With EVER/MORE, the dance program marks its return to the Rodey stage with works that renowned faculty and guest artists created specially to showcase dance majors and their endlessly dedication to the art of dance.
“This dance work considers time, passages, and personal reflections performed collectively, evolved from investigating the rhythm of the West African Wolosodon of enslaved Africans adapted here to confer freedom from constriction and stasis, the ring shout, an African-derived secular dance expression with a sacred dimension that signifies the importance of community, and the simultaneous lament and celebration of the traditional jazz funeral dirge of the American south,” said choreographer Ninoska M’bewe Escobar, who is featured in For when echoes fly over.
Un cabello choreographer Lidón Patiño Berjas, sees the choreography as like life itself, that is, “always seeking excellence by choice and is marked by an inspiring happiness of living. The fragility of life is indisputable, but how we face it is decisive.”
Donna Jewell’s new work Salt is “an exploration of the elements of nature and the relationships we all hold with the earth. There is an imbalance in many systems on the planet and we see climates and environments evolving in our current times. The balance of salt water and fresh water in the northern hemisphere is tipping and the Gulf Stream, which creates a livable climate for so many, is under threat.”
Hierro is “a choreographic caprice and reflection on the aesthetics used in the creation of the seguiriya and martinete dances by legendary artists Vicente Escudero and Antonio el Barilarín.” Choreographers Rafael Estéves and Valeriano Paños “create their own language in which we confront two styles so extreme that they come to embrace each other, since both were forged by joining tradition and avant-garde.” This work will also feature guest appearances by guest artists from Yjastros: the American Flamenco Repertory Company.
Conde Reche created Que sera? Sera? “as a way to talk about different people coming together toward a common goal regardless of their place of origin.” The work “shows the determination needed to go alone, as well as the support and struggles gained when working with others.” Conde Reche said he created this work from the stand point of an immigrant.
Un Cuerpo Nuevo by Concha Jareño reflects her exploration of new approaches and she says “In this work I discovered that letting go is an act of love. It is the act of being flexible and fluid. Flow allowed me to enter into synchronicity with myself. Release allows us to detach ourselves from everything that does not let us advance or that which no longer IS.”
EVER/MORE showcases students at their best, as well as the power of the Department of Theatre and Dance production team, students, faculty, and staff, in the Design for Performance area. The production of EVER/MORE culminates months of work as the department community comes together to offer the audience an unforgettable experience that only live performance can offer.
For more information, call (505) 277-4332 or go to the department website.