UCSB Department Of Theater/Dance presents Fall Dance Concert: HUMAN|ANIMAL

UCSB's Department of Theater and Dance presents Fall Dance Concert: Human|Animal. Under the direction of Christina McCarthy, senior BFA choreographers come together to feature exciting works exploring themes of suspense and immersion into the unknown, radical definitions of femininity, and perceptions of freedom and incarceration. Fall Dance Concert: Human|Animal opens December 7th and runs through December 9th in the Hatlen Theater.

Samantha Gerraty's When Rivers Run Dry explores the self-destructive nature of being an empathetic person. "I am attempting to create a visual representation of this struggle, and will devise the entire soundscape of the piece from my dancer's bodies, voices, and three tappers - there will be no music," said Gerraty, a fourth-year double major in Zoology (B.S.) and Dance (B.F.A.). She is currently working on an honors project that tackles the conundrum of disappearing ecosystems and the general degradation of well-being on our planet.

In Voyeur, Nicole Nistal delves into what drives humans at their core, their animalistic instincts. "We all have wants and needs that are, in their most basic form, primal desires shaping the way we make decisions," said Nistal. Previously an apprentice with Santa Barbara Dance Theater, Nistal performed works by director Christopher Pilafian and has studied Gaga and improvisation in Tel Aviv for 2 years with Batsheva Dance Company and Ohad Naharin.

Give Me Strength, choreographed by Danielle Martin, is about the emotional and personal process of regaining strength after the loss of a loved one, representing the struggle to be resilient in the face of grief and heartbreak. Martin studied ballet at The School of the Sacramento Ballet under Ron Cunningham and is currently an apprentice with The Santa Barbara Dance Theater under direction of Christopher Pilafian.

Tara McAninch presents Imprisoned animals • incarcerated humans, looking into the concept of relating the negative affiliation of a prison to the positive association of a zoo by highlighting the similar qualities the two different communities have. "Finding connections between people and animals reactions to confirm that these two worlds are actually not so different," said McAninch. She has participated in various summer intensives including the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, Royal Academy of Dance, Long Beach Ballet Ambassador to China, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Briana Markovich's Shönhauser Allee 74, curated by John Koenig, analyzes the word sonder, "n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. " "The concept of a protagonist versus those who are passing by is an active exploration of the realization of others in this board-game we all play called 'Life', " said Markovich, a fourth-year BFA dance major and art history minor. Markovich has taught dance technique, style, and improvisation classes for 9 years and will later be touring America and Europe with the UCSB Dance Company under the direction of Delila Moseley.

Amanda Tran presents Forbes 6, exploring hedonism, sensual self-indulgence, and the search for personal happiness through a continuous series of physical and mental pleasures. "I want to uncover and portray the internal mystery of human sinful desires," said Tran. Tran has performed in numerous UCSB dance concerts, was an apprentice for Santa Barbara Dance Theater last season, and is currently in the UCSB Dance Company.

The collaborative creative offerings of Human|Animal are highly diverse in terms of movement style and content, but share the common aim of revealing layers of meaning expressed through the medium of live dance performance. Their creative work, melded with the vision and skill of lighting, scenic and costume design collaborators is sure to reflect the vibrant and creative culture of the greater UCSB community. More information and tickets at theaterdance.ucsb.edu.

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