Dance company serves up intimate, autobiographical program

 No comments  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

By JEF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star

The title is enough to explain Sandra Halpern’s new dance.

It’s called “Midlife Crisis,” and it features Halpern and fellow Lincoln Contemporary Dance Project members Pablo Cervantes and Maribel Cruz.

“I think people will figure it out,” the local choreographer and LCDP founding member said with a laugh. “I think it speaks for itself.”

[+]Enlarge

The Lincoln Contemporary Dance Project features Sandra Halpern's dance project "Midlife Crisis" Friday and Saturday at the Haymarket Theatre. (Courtesy photo)

The Lincoln Contemporary Dance Project features Sandra Halpern's dance project "Midlife Crisis" Friday and Saturday at the Haymarket Theatre. (Courtesy photo)

If you go

What: Lincoln Contemporary Dance Project

Where: Haymarket Theatre, Eighth and Q streets

When: 7:30 Friday and Saturday

Tickets: $15, $12 senior citizens, $9 students; 477-2600 or www.haymarkettheatre.org

“Midlife Crisis” is part of  LCDP’s spring concert set for tonight and Saturday at the Haymarket Theatre. It’s one of nine dances, including four new ones, and four new dances on the program.

The piece also is part of a theme that developed unintentionally, said Elizabeth Govaerts, an LCDP founding member.

Several works are autobiographical and, in many cases, reflect what was happening in the choreographer’s life when the piece was created, she said.

“They are very intimate and kind of have literal messages, which isn’t normal for modern dance,” Govaerts said. “It’s not the usual fare.”

In addition to Halpern, who will have three of her pieces performed, other featured choreographers are Govaerts (two pieces), Liezel Lane (two pieces) and Cruz. Sarah Brown and Monya DeBoer co-choreographed another dance.

Performers are Halpern, Govaerts, Cruz, Brown, DeBoer, Cervantes, Lane, Natalie Ragland and Morgan Weber.

The company was formed in 2003 for the purpose of creating original, accessible and entertaining contemporary dance for Lincoln audiences.

Large ensemble pieces choreographed by Govaerts open and close this year’s show. The seven reflective works in-between feature one to four dancers each.

“It’s interesting,” Govaerts said of the literal, non-abstract works. “It’s just where everybody was at this year. It definitely is a noticeable change for us.”

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.