Dance Currents Inc. and Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston Collaborate for GATHERING LIGHT

The reason for the title of this performance, "Gathering Light", has to do with the program. There are three different musical pieces on the program: John Rutter's Suite Antique, Sibelius's Malinconia, and Del Case's Dayspring, the first and last of which will be performed with dance.

The dance, "Santons" to the Rutter piece, is about the clay figures created in Provence, France during the French Revolution when the churches were closed. The people at that time re-created their religious icons as native French villagers "rushing to the light" of the nativity. In other words they saw "light" in each other. The dance has a story woven in it. The narrative depicts dancing under the night sky, a milkmaid, a laundress, and a carrier of sticks, common santon figurines. The third and last piece on the program, "Dayspring" follows the theme of the music composed by Dr. Delvyn Case. The driving idea of "Dayspring" is that of hope in a broken world. The progression of the music and the dance loosely corresponds to the sun's circuit from dawn to dusk.

Ms. Hassinger is remaking "Dayspring" which she choreographed ten years ago. Dr. Case has been to rehearsal and shared his thoughts conceptually and musically with Ms. Hassinger. Though the music has not changed, the choreography brings in the idea of shadows more than in the 2008 version. This summer Dr. Case worked long hours editing and recording "Dayspring" on his new album, "Strange Energy" with Todd Brunel, the clarinetist for this performance.

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