‘Breaking Boundaries’ Dance Concerts evoke numerous emotions

SAN DIEGO – Some “Breaking Boundaries” dances have been controversial, others sentimental, and still others have interpreted historical events through movement.  Whichever category they fall into, says Grossmont College Dance Department Chair David Mullen, “the student-choreographed dances never fail to evoke a response from our audiences.”

Mullen, who has been involved with 15 annual “Breaking Boundaries” presentations, says he anticipates that audiences will be similarly stimulated at the 7:30 p.m. shows November 14, 15, and 16 at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre at 6611 University Avenue.

Kathy Meyer, who co-directs the student-choreographed show, explained that “Breaking Boundaries”  during the Fall Semester and the faculty-choreographed “Entrances and Exits” in the spring semester provide practical experience for students contemplating careers in dance choreography.

“Students often begin the seed of a dance in a choreography class, which they further develop for the fall concert,” she said.  “As co-directors, David and I mentor the students and regularly attend rehearsals to guide them through choreographic blocks as well as compositional problems.

“It is not our mission to alter the intention of the piece but rather to assist in crafting and guiding the students to help them achieve a more polished piece of choreography,” Meyer added.  “It is so rewarding to see students who begin the process with an idea but have difficulty in plowing through the problem areas, and with a dialog of questions and suggestions  the students often create work in which we are all very proud.”

As in past years, Mullen said, many of the dances to be presented in the 90-minute program will trigger strong emotions.  For example, this semester co-choreographers Nicole Tyer and Alysha Robinson have created a dance that harkens back to the large Cedar fire of 2003 in which 15 persons died and 2,820 San Diego County buildings were burned.  Poignant moments from the Cedar fire are incorporated into the dance, including the images of individuals returning to the site of their destroyed homes in the desperate hope that at least some mementos of their former lives still remain among the rubble.

“Given the fact that virtually everyone in San Diego County has either experienced the fire first hand or has known somebody who has experienced the fire, I think the dance will have quite an impact,” said Mullen.

Recalling other dances that have shocked or resonated with audiences over the past 15 years, he mentioned one choreographed by Christopher Enders that protested Proposition 8, the decision by California voters to ban same-sex marriages.  Enders response was to create a dance of anger and protest which portrayed graphic images of sexuality, politics, and religion. 

While controversial, the dance neither included nudity nor foul language, Mullen recalled.  To those who were offended by it, he explained that  art is often used as social commentary, and that it was neither his nor his co-director Kathy Meyer’s job to censor opinions but instead to defend and support  students’ rights  as artists to portray those feelings through the medium of dance.

Another past dance that came to Mullen’s mind was one by Nicole Chandler, in which the student paid tribute to her late father.  An image of her father was projected onto a back wall, and “she began her dance to a spoken text that she had recorded about her memories of him.  The dance that followed was all done in white; the dancers were very angelic and the movement was flowing, reflecting the music.  It was a very moving, and beautiful piece.  I had lost my own father a few years prior, so it was very moving to me.”

Mullen said he is often amazed by the variety and depth of student choreography, and says the concert with 12 different dances – the longest lasting  6-7 minutes—will keep audiences well entertained at the upcoming “Breaking Boundaries” presentation. Tickets are $10 in advance of the show via telephone (619) 644-7766 and $13 at the door.

--DHH-