Last weekend, Lawrence University hosted three performances of “Gather Together,” a dance show led by Creator in Residence Robert Battle. The show opened on Friday, May 9 and had two showings on Saturday, May 10. Taking place in the beautiful Esch Hurvis studios, the performance was comprised of people from all over the university.
As written on the Dance Department’s Instagram page, “The cast consist[ed] of thirteen undergraduates representing 15 majors spanning first years, Posse scholars, graduating seniors, Conservatory musicians, and LU athletes, as well as one dance minor alumna. Lawrence University Conservatory [Instructor of Music] Loren Kiyoshi Dempster collaboratively composed the music and [Assistant Professor of Music] Jean Carlo Ureña Gonzalez’s percussion studio […] create[d] a musical prelude.”
It goes without saying that this was a collaborative performance and process of creating. The cast first assembled in the fall, giving them the gift of extended time to work together and meld as an ensemble. At a school where we operate on 10-week terms and are constantly shifting gears, the luxury of time feels particularly special.
The performance itself was made up of three parts: the adagio (in other words, a slower, ballet-like section), an expressive solo by sophomore Ella Fajardo-Wilde and an upbeat jig kickstarted by senior Nina Broberg and sophomore Madison Tracy. Each section had its own distinct personality while blending together with the other sections to create a cohesive piece of dance and music.
It’s worth mentioning that the line to get into Esch Hurvis was longer than I’ve ever seen, and that the studio was delightfully full. I saw a handful of professors that I recognized and many other members of the Lawrence community.
By the end of the performance, it was clear that “Gather Together” was not just the title of the work, but the ultimate result of it, for the cast and crew as well as the audience.
In introducing the work, Battle drew our attention to the surrounding landscape — the river, the trees, the sky, the birds, the buildings. He noted that the performance is in conversation with the outside world, which deepened its meaning, at least for me. In the Q&A afterwards, soloist Fajardo-Wilde spoke about how they were playing with the idea of a storm in their partially improvised solo. The power and poise with which they moved only emphasized the emotional texture of a storm.
When asked about what they would take away from this experience, Fajardo-Wilde said, “Community care is the core of everyone’s well-being. Especially in the time we are currently living in, dance has always been my way to sweat out my worries, express my enjoyment and feel good in my body. But in this performance, I made others feel parts of my soul, which I have never done before. The way people felt so deeply connected to the dance as a collective is the part of dance that I will take to all my other paths of life. And my gratitude for this opportunity from Mauriah, Robert and Margaret is something I will cherish forever. Dance will save the world!”
The third section of the dance, the jig, was a welcome shift from turbulence and beauty to playfulness, precision and joy. I found my eyes darting around, noticing the specific angles of the feet to the arcs of the arms to the moments of eye contact and smiles. One of the performers shared how Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Mauriah Donegan Kraker invited them to “see each other,” and how that was an integral part of the work itself. While the threads of seeing each other were present throughout the entire performance, I especially felt them in the jig.
I would be remiss to not mention all the collaboration that happens offstage, from the lighting to the costumes to the musicians, as well as the guidance and time of Donegan Kraker and Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Margaret Sunghe Paek. A performance like this does not just take a lot of time, but a lot of people and energy as well. I’m sure I’m neglecting many other people who helped make these performances possible, which only shows how collaborative the process was.
If you missed the performances, I hope this article gives you a sense of just how magical and moving they were. Keep your eyes and ears open for more creativity, collaboration and performance in the future! Also, if you want to know more about the renowned Robert Battle, check out the article in Features! Until then, keep on gathering together.