Story and photos by Alex Del Cueto
The spring semester marks the final semester for seniors at SUNY Purchase, leaving them to complete their senior project. For the senior members of the dance conservatory that means putting together a final performance performing a solo piece and choreographing your own group piece.
During the second weekend of performances, seniors Daphne Fitz, Marissa Furfaro, Zil Inami, Mia Shaughnessy and Alina Slotwinski put on “Change of Heart" which ran Feb. 14 and Feb. 15.
“When we found out our show was going to be on Valentine’s Day we decided to run with the love theme,” said Slotwinski. “We landed on a retro dating game show vibe.”
The first piece of the show was “Perfect Vermin” performed and choreographed by Zil Inami. The piece started the show with the striking imagery of Inami using mannequin arms to create the illusion of unnaturally long arms. Throughout the piece, they began to lose their arms and their movements became more intense.
“It was technically made to guilt the audience into feeling bad about watching something/someone suffer,” said Inami. “This mirrors the nature of performance and vulnerability on stage.”
Following this piece was “Currents Between Us” choreographed by Mia Shaughnessy in collaboration with the dancers in the piece. The piece covers the different phases of a relationship.
“There is a part of where you could feel uncomfortable in your loneliness,” said Shaughnessy. “Then there's also the part where you learn to be alone while still having a significant other.”
A crowd of dancers all faced towards a soloist who was back against a board in “Currents Between Us.”
Marissa Furfaro sat in her opening pose for “In This Current State Of…”
The next piece was “In This Current State Of…” choreographed by Tamisha A. Guy and performed by Marissa Furfaro.
Daphne Fitz’s two pieces followed next first with her solo “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” choreographed by Bettijane Sills and her group piece “Reflected Desires” which she choreographed in collaboration with the dancers in the piece. Fitz used her group piece to tackle the idea of vanity within dancers and looking into the problems it causes.
“It has an overarching theme of narcissism and self-reflections,” said Fitz. “I decided to work with the question, what is the difference between observation and obsession.”
Daphne Fitz performed “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” while en pointe.
Dancers in “Reflected Desires” looked at themselves through handheld mirrors.
The dancers strike a pose in “The Weight of Watching” choreographed by Alina Slotwinski in collaboration with the dancers.
“The Weight of Watching” choreographed by Alina Slotwinski opened Act II with giving the audience a view into the dance conservatory. The piece told the story of a student who was once accepted into the group being slowly exiled by her peers.
Shaughnessy’s solo “Can They Co-Exist” and Furfaro’s group piece “www.disposableidentities.com,” both focus on the ideas of balancing your emotions and society's view of emotions. Shaughnessy's solo is about a person balancing the forceful side and comforting side of love while Furfaro’s piece is about society's larger view controlling oneself for society.
“I really wanted to create a piece that embodied both the physical and emotional elements of existing in a society that is driven by consumerism, perfectionism, and uniformity,” said Furfaro.
A shadow created by Mia Shaughnessy while she danced in “Can They Co-Exist.”
A dancer is surrounded by his fellow dancers in “www.disposableidentities.com.”
Slotwinski performed an “Excerpt from ‘The Road,’” a repertory solo staged by one of her oldest teachers, marking a full-circle moment in her final year of college. “The piece was both fun to perform and allowed me to express my personality on stage,” said Slotwinski.
In the last group piece, Inami took inspiration from the tortoise and hare fable, creating a narrative where one dancer crawls and another runs, symbolizing the contrast between their styles of movement. The work, which also features a third character who breaks free from a robotic-like cycle, serves as both a tribute to ballet.
The show ended with a short video mimicking an old-timey game show intro. Which was followed by them coming out and bowing to “Love on Top” by Beyoncè.
Alina Slotwinski danced during “Excerpt from ‘The Road.’”
A line of ballerinas danced in “Floyd’s Cycle Finding Algorithm” choreographed by Zil Inami.
Alina Slotwinski, Daphne Fitz, Zil Inami, Marissa Furfarro and Mia Shaughnessy took their final bow.
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