UCR is Dancing 2022

Re-emerges once again as a showcase of new ideas and experiments in original dance making by UCR undergraduate dance majors.

Artistic Director

Program

WARNING: This production contains mature content, profanity, and strobe effects.

Land Acknowledgement

Spirit of Self

Choreography by Hana Kondo-Bacon
Performance by: Lily Lewis, Imran Afzal, Jessica Barajas, Jatara Newell, Tahsin Thaver, Zoe Foy, and Hana Kondo-Bacon
Music/Sound by: Jealous by R&B instrumental and I Think by Tyler the Creator
Costumes Design by: Hana Kondo-Bacon

Finding peace within the dual elements of oneself. Frustration and self-acceptance, in both domains there need to be an emphasis of safety to fully be oneself. I wanted to create space for myself to explore movements that were inspired by the dual expressions. Not only to challenge myself to play with different styles of movement, but this exploration also allowed me to find equanimity for my whole self.

Hana Kondo-Bacon is a Riverside based dancer and currently is a student at UC Riverside studying as a Dance Major and Psych Minor. Hana has always been physically active in sports but started her dance studies when attending Cabrillo community college in Santa Cruz in her early 20’s. She has practiced Modern, Contemporary, Hip-hop, and Folkorico, and is passionate about many styles of dances. Hana has found dance to be an innate experience humans share and is helpful in supporting physical and emotional health. She is working towards crossing the paths of both dance and psychology in the future to study and teach somatic therapies, as she believes everyone could use a little more dance and expression in their lives.

No Mutual Feelings

Choreography by Andrea Robinson
Performance by: Tyra Logan and Andrea Robinson
Music/Sound by: Hurricane by Kanye West, Worst Luck by 6LACK, and How This Feels by R.LUM.R
Costumes Design by: Andrea Robinson

As two women go through heartbreak together, they both tell different stories of how their experiences were. One goes through soft but powerful movement while the other has been through a tougher, more aggressive time. As they dance together in unison and fluidity, a relationship forms and one develops stronger feelings for the other, but the feelings are not the same. Through mixed emotions and tension in the air, they both realize things will not turn out well in the end.

Bio: Andrea Robinson is an aspiring choreographer with a martial arts background. From her 14 years of dance training in hip hop and modern and 17 years of martial arts training, she is able to combine the two to create diverse choreography. Aside from being a martial artist, she thrives to become a choreographer and gain more experience in the future. As time goes on, she hopes to inspire more dancers to never give up and live their dreams.

Unapologetically Me

Choreography by Jatara Newell
Performance by: Zoe Foy, Blanca Dorantes, Nohely Gomez, and Jeneva Hawrylew
Music/Sound by: Confessions (voice recording), Sorry not Sorry by Demi Lovato
Costumes Design by: Jatara Newell

Unapologetically Me is about finally living for self. I am blessed for the guidance I’ve received since birth, there are common traits and beliefs I share with loved ones; however, I am very different from them. In many ways, my identity goes against the grain from what is considered “normal” in my circle. This piece exhibits bits and pieces of my liberation from disappointment and judgment from some of those who know me best. Many of the same individuals who have poured into my life with good intentions unconsciously put fear into me causing depression, anxiety, and silence. You will now hear my voice, know my trauma, see my healing, my badass femininity, eroticism, and confidence. The time is now for you to know who I am.

Jatara Newell, a Southern California native has spent half of her life in performing arts and entertainment. Throughout the years, she’s trained in dance studios, schools, performed in concept videos, an event choreographer and owner of her business, United2DanceCompany. Her artistic background is but not limited to Hip-hop, Jazz, Ballet, some Modern, Contemporary, Heels, and Liturgical dance. Jatara is a fourth-year student at UCR, graduating in June 2022 with a B.A. in Dance. Her future endeavors are to continue being a student in dance, become a college dance professor, back up dancer, residential choreographer, creative director, actor, and grow in entrepreneurship.

My Everything

Choreography and Performance by Xaire Patrick
Music/Sound by: All I Have to Give by Mali Music

Xaire’s piece is centered around her faith and spirituality of how much she can give of herself. She is utilizing gospel music as well as movement that she learned while praise dancing in church. Her choreography has various dynamics of emotions, figurative movement that symbolizes connotation from the lyrics, and syncopation of the rhythm. And she is exploring what it means to give herself spiritually through the choreography.

Xaire Madison Patrick is an artist, dancer, and choreographer from Oakland, California. She has been trained in multiple dance styles including Praise Dance, West- African, Bollywood, Afro- Brazilian, and Afro- Cuban dance practices. Through these dance practices, she hopes to develop and produce many works with the intention to create a space for more artists to explore their creativity through performance. As well as create works centered around the connection of the body, mind, and spirit to elevate the overall experience of performance through dance.

N/A•(Not Applicable)

Choreography by Ami-Maxine Hill-Tell
Performance by: Lily Lewis, Zoe Foy, Tyra Logan, Brianna Gomez, and Ami-Maxine Hill-Tell
Music by: I Miss the Days by NF
Costume Design by: Ami-Maxine Hill-Tell

N/A•(Not Applicable)… A piece created to be the voice for others who fight the silent battles alone. A piece that shows vulnerability hiding underneath the smile … the facade. Created to break the uncomfortable silence and stigmas surrounding mental health. Created for anyone who has been put down or broken; made for some of the hardest times in our lives. Created not only for those performing but also for those who are able to see it.

Bio: Ami-Maxine Marian Hill-Tell… A 21-year-old African American dancer who’s known the art of creation since birth. Following in her Mothers footsteps, Ami-Maxine sought out to become a professional dancer. Ami has trained in the art of dance for 16 years studying under famous dancers such as Lula Washington, Debbie Allen, Eartha Robinson, Karen McDonald and even her own mother Marian Tell-Coffield. Ami is in her fourth year at UCR majoring in the study of dance and will soon be graduating in June of 2022.

Intermission

The Gift: Divinely Feminine

Choreography by Imran Afzal
Performance by: Imran Afzal, Hana Kondo-Bacon, Zoe Foy, Jatara L. Newell, Andrea Robinson
Music/Sound by: Notorious by Malaa, Do We Have a Problem? by Nicki Minaj & Lil Baby, and Do You? by TroyBoi
Costumes Design by: Imran Afzal

In the world of today, outdated societal gender norms of masculinity and femininity are still upheld as they propel division between people. However, glimpses of change such as these moving bodies display just how empowered individuals can become once we diminish the walls that separate and instead reinforce a bridge between this societal gap.

Bio: Imran Afzal is a fourth-year undergraduate student who is majoring in Dance and minoring in Education. He plans to further his growth and build his craft in the field of dance to gain tools in aspiration of one day becoming a professor.

Stay Golden

Choreography by Jessica Barajas
Performance by: Jessica Barajas, Sooyoung/Laura Choi, and Nohely Gomez
Music/Sound by: Empire of Silence by Outworlder, Drift by Detz, Clock ticking and Hot Stuff (Karaoke version) by Donna Summers
Cinematographer: Jessica Barajas and Marlen Gonzalez-Duran

Stay Golden has to do with feeling the societal pressures of looking a certain way and acting a certain way to be considered “proper”. There’s this enclosed bubble that we all live in that forces us to hide our true personality and shy away from being fully expressive of ourselves. I decided to create this narrative as a way of showing that, even though, there will be obstacles along the way in our lifetime that will try to tear us down, they’re not able to unless we permit it. We just have to pop out of the bubble and break free.

Bio: Jessica Barajas is a 4th year dance major at UC Riverside. She is currently studying to receive her bachelor’s degree this coming spring. She has been training in dance for about 8 years, since her first year of high school in the Conservatory Program under the tutelage of Nicole Robinson, Rosa Rodriguez-Frazier, Anthony Loa, Denise Donovan, and Jeanna Shelton. Prior to dance, she has had some training in gymnastics during her elementary school years. In the future, she plans to receive her teaching credentials to intern and teach dance to other students at different schools or studios, while also going back to school to become a medical assistant.

Peace From Within

Choreography by Lindsey Humphreys
Performance by: Andrea Robinson, Jessica Barajas, and Jodi Wong
Music/Sound by: Know Your Enemy & 21 Guns– The Original Broadway Cast Recording of American Idiot, Featuring Green Day, and Rise Up by Andra Day
Costumes Design by: Lindsey Humphreys

Peace from Within explores inner conflict and how it can cause destruction to the mind, body, and soul. A finger becomes a personification of an inner demon to bring to life the fight within, which then leads to feelings of helplessness and loneliness. Some are able to release the voices in their head, while others let these voices take over their lives to the point they become reluctant to take the love and support given. The feeling of needing to silence the voices in our heads is strong, but it isn’t until we acknowledge and listen to these voices that we can choose to become imprisoned by them or become free.

Bio: Lindsey Humphreys is a fourth year, transfer student at the University of California, Riverside, where she is majoring in Dance Making and minoring in Education. She began choreographing at Eisenhower High School for the show choirs and dance team after she graduated in 2013 and continues to choreograph for them to this day. She started dancing at Citrus Community College in Glendora in 2017, where she was part of the Citrus Dance Company and choreographed for their Fall and Spring shows. She is currently working in the dance department at the Music Tree studios as a dance instructor. After finishing school, she plans to open up her own dance studio and continue teaching.

dualities

Choreography by Brianna Gomez
Performance by: Ami-Maxine Hill & Imran Afzal
Music/Sound by: Colores by Ampersan
Costumes Design by: Brianna Gomez

two souls in one body create the illusion known as life. clashing with each other in attempt to find who they are. dualities is about the journey of embracing the masculine & feminine side of oneself.

Bio: Brianna is a dance major at University of California, Riverside where she trains primarily in modern dance. She began her training in ballet, modern and jazz at the late age of 14 at AB Miller High School with artists such as Nicole Robinson and UCR Alumna Rosa Rodriguez-Frazier. She then continued training and performing at Riverside City College where she is also obtaining her Pilates certification. She still continues to train at RCC alongside her current training at UCR.

defying loneliness

Choreography by lily lewis
Performance by: Ami-Maxine Hill, Christian Torres, Hana Kondo-Bacon, Jocelyne Gomez, Jodi Wong, Sandy Yang, Tyra Logan, and lily lewis
Music by: Winston Churchill’s Boy by Benjamin Clementine
Costume Design by: lily lewis

defying loneliness is about finding unity in loneliness and leaning on the people around us in order to find comfort knowing others share the same feelings.  It is about the journey through finding the strength to be hopeful and to continue forward.  Ultimately, we always learn to adapt and keep pushing, whether it is because we choose to or are forced to, and this sentiment is what inspires the movement and interaction between the dancers with each other and the acknowledgement of the audience by the dancers.

Bio: lily lewis is a third year Dance and Psychology major who has spent her life dancing many different styles in different forms of performance and competition.  Since coming to UCR she has steered away from the rigid dance practices she had learned and has now focused on the mind-body connection and moving in ways that feel good in the body.  In the future she hopes to keep creating as much as possible.