SPRING BLEND

BY ED BRUCE edbrucevegas@yahoo.com

A dance program from the UNLV Department of Dance and The College of Fine Arts...choreography by: UNLV Dance Majors.

This a three day program of modern dance, 11 pieces, all student dancers and of course 8 minutes late.

I love the dance and all that any creative dance artists do...thanks to these young choreographers for their efforts, some better than others, all new and pretty much repeating themes, lots of rolling around on the floor, as my wife says !

Not a lot to reach out and grab me here, everything to taste and while the dance, energy, speed, timing and lighting were solid along with costuming....the attention getting choreography was absent and not to the level of their previous program.

Everything is to taste and this show performed by 40 students, almost all females, was done in the round to a young audience in a small studio theatre.

Less than 90 minutes and maybe then too repetitive in some cases I enjoyed the experience. Nice athletic ability here with preparation evident.

I had a nice talk with Louis Kavouras, Chair of UNLV Dance, who continues to make great progress in providing dancers for the world and the creative arts in Las Vegas.
It has always appeared to me that we need to drop UNLV basketball and football which provide student backgrounds for almost no one and revenue for none.....AND reinforce this great traing for UNLV dance, theatre and music programs. Kavouras and I are on the same page, creating great art training programs. Kavouras said the male dancers who were few in number here (altho solid)...he said they can write their own ticket with proper training.

I was not overpowered by the dance pieces on this night but anxiously await the next one.

85 B