March 24, 2008 (Vol. 7, No. 5)

BALAM Dance Theatre Brings Fusion Repertoire to Lehman April 2

BALAM Dance Theatre will visit Lehman April 2 to present The Faces of Love, showcasing original works that fuse Western and Balinese music and dance styles. Featuring premiere works, as well as performances by actor, dancer, and master teacher Irma Sandrey, the free recital will take place from 10 to 11:50 a.m. in the Lovinger Theatre.

Premiering will be Bali-Bolero 'Unrapped'," an ensemble dance featuring yoga and the classical music of Ravel, with an invocation performed in Sanskrit by a rap artist; KT Gamelan, a duet fusing the techniques of American dance master Lester Horton with karate movements; and Eden's Mandala (East Coast premiere), a duet fusing ballet point work with masks and Baroque and Balinese dance styles, accompanied by the music of Vivaldi and Uakti, a Brazilian Rhythmic ensemble.

Sandrey, who began her career as a ballerina with the New York City Ballet under the direction of legendary choreographer George Balanchine, will present an excerpt from The Diary of Anna Karenina, an original work inspired by Tolstoy's novel. A member of the Actors Studio and a senior teacher and advisor at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, Sandrey is also known for her leading roles on stage, in film, and on television.

Accompanying Sandrey will be guest dancer Ani Udovicki, formally of the Belgrade National Theater and Ballet Hispanico. Also included will be selections from Bach's Suite for Solo Cello, performed by Christine Gummere, and original poetry by poet/artist Monty Wanamaker.

The company's resident guest artist, Nani Devi, will be featured in the company's performance of Oleg Tambulilingan, a traditional Balinese dance. Also on the program will be Hanuman the Monkey King, a solo inspired by the Hindu epic Ramayana, and La-Tina, another solo featuring the music of Puerto Rican composer Bobby Capo that fuses the Spanish language, cha-cha, ballet, and Balinese masked theatre.

Islene Pinder, BALAM's founding director, established the company in 1979 and taught dance at Lehman until she retired in 1998. Their performance is sponsored by the Freshman Year Initiative Program.

Select a Volume Volume 8 (Fall 2008) Volume 7 (Spring 2008) Volume 6 (Fall 2007) Volume 5 (Spring 2007) Volume 4 (Fall 2006) Volume 3 (Spring 2006) Volume 2 (Fall 2005) Volume 1 (Spring 2005)