Four Choreographers to Watch for at Fusion Dance Company’s Intertwine
Fusion Dance Company is young, both in terms of its dancers and how long it’s been around, but the company has already gained quite the reputation for collecting some of S.B.’s leading modern dancers. Ask any dance aficionado and they are likely to use words like “exciting,” “versatile,” and “eclectic” when describing Fusion. And the company’s next show is no exception. On Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21, Fusion will perform its newest work, Intertwine, at Center Stage Theater (751 Paseo Nuevo). Director Kara Stewart says that the title is not just about the type of movement-which intertwines both bodies and a broad range of dance styles-but also the inclusion of new dancers and choreographers from the community. Below are four choreographers to watch for, all of whom will be debuting pieces as part of Intertwine.
1) Kara Stewart, artistic director: For the first time since Fusion’s creation in 2004, Stewart is not performing in any pieces, taking time off to enjoy her pregnancy and her role as choreographer. Her piece, titled “Becoming One,” uses the Beatles’ “Come Together” before switching to a bluesier version of the song. Additionally, several different styles of dance are put to use, representing the ideas behind Intertwine’s theme.
2) Devyn Duex, dancer and choreographer: The “first draft” of this debut piece, “Release,” encapsulates a personal struggle in choreographer Devyn Duex’s life. Dancer Nicole Helton reflects Duex’s struggle and tries to cope as three other dancers offer her help. A study of trauma and balance, “Release” beautifully combines heavy subject matter with exceptional dancing.
3) Derren Ohanian, dancer and choreographer: When Derren Ohanian described his latest piece, “Precious Illusion,” he explained that he wants the audience to get the same feeling they would get watching Michael Jackson moonwalk. He wants them to ask, “Was that real?” and show how dance can defy the laws of physics. It’s street style hip-hop that strives to be both surreal and urban-and it’s far different from anything else on the bill.
4) Nicole Helton, dancer and choreographer: Inspired by the recent death of her uncle, Helton describes her “Unbound” piece as “leaves blowing in the wind.” The soulful Van Morrison music, six dancers, luscious falls and turns, and elastic flow of entrances and exits all recall memories of Helton’s uncle, who used to play the song on the guitar-as well as the love and loss Helton grapples with as she remembers the feeling the song gave her when she heard him play it.
