As a part of the Theatre Project's Heptasoph Series, The Collective, a Baltimore contemporary dance troupe, performed Friday night in their fourth annual showcase titled The Human Condition. There couldn't have been a more fitting title, as the dancers used their expressions and movements to remind the audience that the emotions one feels throughout a lifetime are the things that make us human.
The enthusiasm for the performance was visible from the start. As the audience found their seats, techno beats reverberated against the auditorium's black walls, building tension. The first of their seven pieces gave the audience an idea of how much energy and passion the dancers were going to put in the performance. Six dancers dressed in ruffled pink and orange skirts, floral dresses and bright-colored camisoles burst out from behind the black, velvet curtains and mesmerized the audience.
In one piece, four dancers suspended a fifth into the air and used coordinated movements that allowed her to plunge to the ground head first safely and roll off her stomach into two full circles. The piece was complete, however, when the dancers slowed down to a sad and melodic violin solo, the photos appearing on the screen again. Holding their heads with their hands, they twisted as if in anguish and huddled into groups of two where one supported the other by holding her up on her back. The chemistry between the dancers, the music, and the artistic photos that were projected on the wall behind the performance provided a reflective moment among the audience, reminding us of the bittersweet experiences a person can have.
It's all about the passion when it comes to The Collective, and it's apparent when speaking to Stacie Lanier, co-director of the all-female contemporary dance troupe, founded five years ago. Lanier said that while there were other dance companies in Baltimore to join, being able to "establish a vision and basic philosophy that we felt passionate to work towards" was an important benefit of forming a new company.
The group now consists of eight other dancers whose extensive dancing backgrounds have taken them throughout the country, as well as internationally. The list of the dancers' credits is impressive -- most have earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree; one dancer, Katie Carpenter, has taught ballet and hip-hop classes in Nice, France.
Their individual accomplishments, however, do not get in the way of their group efforts, but rather enhance the unique quality of the group. Lanier commented that the company strives to "create a format where the wealth of experiences the dancers brought forward would be an asset to the group and the artistic work produced."
This collection of ideas was what made The Human Condition especially unique and mesmerizing -- each segment possessed a different feel, ensuring that the show did not feel monotonous. Lanier emphasized the unique aspect of The Collective and added that they gave various choreographers an opportunity to create new works so that the repertoire would be "diverse and ever-shifting". Especially for The Human Condition, The Collective remained focused on the audience and creating expressive, moving art. "We enjoy knowing that the audience is relating to the work that we do," Lanier said. "We want people to understand and connect."
While the enthusiasm for their performing life showed during their performance, it's the group's commitment to their rehearsals that made their movements so precise and easy to watch. "On Tuesdays, we have a company ballet class and rehearsal for three hours, and on Sundays during the day, we have a modern dance class and rehearsal for five to six hours, each rehearsal geared towards upcoming performances," Lanier said.
Even with this rigorous practice schedule, members of The Collective have time to serve their communities. The majority of them teach classes to middle-school children and in local dance schools, while dancers like Michele May and Emily Tankersley work in the hospital or psychiatric settings. May is a Special Events Coordinator for the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and Tankersley, who works with mentally and physically-challenged children, uses dance therapy to enhance the healing process. Lanier also has a busy schedule as the current owner and director of the Experimental Movement Concepts -- located in Hampden -- teaching dance to children and adults.
The Collective's next performance will be at the BMA for the "Exhibit Expressions: Slide Show," where they will perform excerpts from the piece "Memory Box," part of The Human Condition, on the first Thursday of March. It is a free performance.
By the time their performance was over at the Theatre Project, the strength of The Collective's performance -- along with their ability to grow a rapport with the audience -- was visible when the show came to an end and the audience left smiling.
The Collective's next performance will be at the BMA for the "Exhibit Expressions: Slide Show," where they will perform excerpts of "Memory Box" as seen in The Human Condition on the first Thursday of March. It is a free performance.
