People often say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Therefore, if a still image speaks volumes, it stands to reason that dance sings. Dance is a non-verbal medium, but it speaks more than words could via body movement. It is a beautifully crafted way to communicate meaning to an audience.
Jefferey Peterson, the dance program director, expresses that dance means, “to experience live, moving poetry and to experience how creative artistic ideas can be translated into movement.”
According to Winona State University, Dancescape has been a staple at Winona State for decades. The Winona State website even gives students and community members an idea of what they will be seeing when they walk into the theatre, “The production includes modern, contemporary, jazz, street, and experimental dance, featuring original choreography and design by students, faculty, and guest artists.”
The Dancescape Performance is a longstanding tradition at Winona State, and as a tradition that has been going steadfast for over 30 years it is “[resting] on the shoulders of those that have done this before… and it takes a really big team to put this on,” as Peterson says. This performance is the product of the countless hours of work put in by so many people. From dancers to choreographers to the dance program director who have been working since the spring of 2024.
The effort put into this performance could be seen in the artistic performances given by the dancers who breathed life into every performance. Each of the nine dances were unique and made meaning with the movement across the stage. Many of the dances revolved around the concept of time and how it flows, and many others revolved around the concept of loneliness and the idea of friendship.
Though the atmosphere could only be increased by the stellar work of the light and sound crew. The feeling of loneliness could be felt through the single spotlight and dark stage, and the rush of time could be heard through the beat of the music. The same can be said for the times of silence, which created a profound effect by causing the audience to pay exclusive attention to the movements on stage.
The same can be said for the fantastic costumes that brought the dancers to life. The choice of colors was more than a mere artistic choice and helped drive home the themes of each dance. The colors could be used to set one dancer apart, fitting the theme of the story being told. This could be particularly seen in the dance with the topic of discrimination and persecution in which everyone wore white except for one dancer. The costumes help send a clear message and are one of the many integral parts of the performance.
A dance can mean so many things. An in-depth critique, a personal story or perhaps, maybe, it is just a personal expression of listening to a song. Either way, it’s saying something, which is why people should go out to see a dance performance for themselves. Even if dance isn’t someone’s thing, even if it seems like it’s just another person moving along to music, it’s making a point. The body is a work of art that communicates so many things. Those unspoken words are important to see, and everyone should take advantage of the fact that they can see such beautiful expression of emotion.
