By Natalie Betz
Charlotte Adams’ dance “Imagining Ketchikan: Canciones del Corazon” begins in the scuffed bathtub where cigarette smoke rises before she reveals her presence.
She throws the cigarette onto the stage. Of course, there is no water, but she moves gracefully, so it’s as if the tub was filled with water.
At one point, she balances on the edge of the bathtub. For the beginning of her performance, she is nude, but as the dance goes on, she puts on a robe.
The dance adds elements of humor as Adams purposefully falls from the bathtub and picks up the cigarette that was thrown earlier and smokes it.
In Adams’ dance, there are a few long pauses in order to reflect on the piece as the audience watches.
Adams said she had never performed the piece herself prior to Dancing on the Ceiling. However, she has choreographed the piece for others to perform. After she was recruited to perform for Dancing on the Ceiling, she reworked the piece a little and discovered that the final adaptation is her favorite.
Dancers come in all races, genders, and ages. Six professional dancers from ages 48 through 66 will perform their original solos Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Space/Place.
Around a year and a half ago, Simone Ferro, the chair of the Dance Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, contacted women from several Midwest universities and other woman whose dancing she respected in order to plan Dancing on the Ceiling.
Adams, a dancer and University of Iowa associate professor of dance, said she was familiar with Ferro’s work, so she was excited to be included in the shows.
Dancing on the Ceiling is actually a tour that will début in Iowa City. Afterward, the women will perform at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, Adams said. There are also possibilities of the group performing in North Carolina and Pittsburgh, but the dates haven’t been finalized yet.
Along with Ferro and Adams, Beth Corning, Jennifer Kayle, and Debra Loewen will also perform Friday and Saturday.
“I was honored Charlotte asked me to join because the whole motion of the collection of this choreography holds the value and maturity that these older dancers possess,” said Kayle, a dancer and UI associate professor of dance.
“While many talented younger dancers are often showcased, we wanted to show off the many years of experience in dance that all of us acquired,” Adams said.
Corning, a dancer and the artistic director of Corning Dances and Company, said that when she was younger, she always looked up to the older dancers because they had so much more to say, and now she hopes to inspire younger dancers.
“It’s a great opportunity to see seasoned artists,” she saud. “It’s a rare opportunity to see this level of artistry. Combined, we have 200 years of experience.”
The women’s dances fall under the umbrella of modern. Throughout the show, some people are speaking as well, to bring in elements of theater. Whether they dance contemporary or with a physical theatrical style, the dancers all felt most comfortable with the modern genre.
Dancing on the Ceiling is a particular art form that illustrates the whole of human experience, which makes for a useful performance, Kayle said.
“The show is beautiful, exciting, and worthwhile,” she said.
What: Dancing on the Ceiling
When: 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday
Where: Space Place
Cost: Free
Attention: Brief nudity
