Music and motion will unite during "Between the Lines."
This vibrant concert will team UH's AURA Contemporary Ensemble, Dance Ensemble and Saxophone Studio for an evening of contemporary chamber music and choreography.
"Between the Lines" will be performed at 7:30 p.m., April 15 in the Moores Opera House. The performance is presented in collaboration with UH's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. Tickets are $15 and $10 for UH faculty, staff, alumni, students and seniors. To reserve tickets, call 713-743-3313.
"This performance is filled with high energy music, and the choreography complements all of these contemporary compositions," said Rob Smith, director of AURA. "The dancers' visual cues will further connect the audience with the music. It's a very organic artistic partnership."
"Between the Lines" will feature the following music and dance selections:
- Assistant professor Teresa Chapman's dance "Oh Alice!" is based on poems from "Alice in Wonderland." The piece is set to Jennifer Higdon's composition "Dash."
- Chapman also will premiere "A Yearning for Completion," which she describes as "whirling with an abundance of energy." The piece is set to "Love Dogs" by Evan Chambers.
- Assistant professor Becky Valls' piece features duets of dancers and repetition that is manipulated in series of movements that mirror changing music. This piece is set to "Platter of Discontent" by Mark Mellits.
- Leslie Scates, dance lecturer, presents a piece featuring seven dancers, all of whom contributed to the final choreography. It will be set to Todd Reynolds' "Uh...it happened so fast."
- Sophia Torres explores a primitive edge in her piece "The Pack." It will be performed by seven cast members and set to "Bongo-0," a solo percussion arrangement by Roberto Sierra.
AURA is dedicated to the performance of contemporary chamber music, with an emphasis on works that represent the trends and styles of the last two decades. Under the direction of Rob Smith, the ensemble performs a wide variety of American and international composers' works. Noted artists such as Samuel Adler, Richard Rodney Bennett, Stephen Montague, Joan Tower and Dan Welcher have visited campus to hear AURA's interpretations of their compositions. The ensemble is also dedicated to collaboration with dance, and has presented many concerts with the UH Dance Ensemble and the Sandra Organ Dance Company.
The UH Dance Ensemble is the university's pre-professional performing dance company. Formed in 1992, the Dance Ensemble offers students the opportunity to practice performance skills, challenging them technically and physically. Directed by Valls, these student dancers rehearse a minimum of 11 hours a week, preparing for numerous performances held throughout the year. The repertory consists of a variety of dances from environmental pieces to stage productions.