Bryttni Pugh

Dr. Amin
DANC 1201-001
23 November 2015
Observing the Arts
My mother and I arrived at the Anne R. Belk Theatre in Robinson Hall fifteen minutes
prior to the shows starting time, seven-thirty post meridiem, on Saturday, September 12, 2015 to
view the Faculty Dance Concert. As we settled into seats close to the stage in the middle section,
I noticed that the main curtain was fully out, permitting us to look upon numerous miniature
golden trophies. They were aesthetically pleasing because the glossy objects were organized into
evenly spaced rows and columns, stretched across the entirety of the stage. Three performers
Gretchen Alterowitz, Alison Bory, and Amanda Hamp soon appeared upstage left in green and
teal tracksuits, giving the impression that they were warming up. However, they continued to
move after the house lights faded out. My mother and I became quite confused because we have
never seen a dance begin that way; but, we realized we were viewing AGA Collaboratives
placed (2015) since we entered the theatre.
There was enough space in-between the props for the three female dancers to walk, run,
and crawl. They used the unoccupied area to travel downstage and upstage throughout their
initial repetitive exercise routine and following choreography. Their bright athletic sneakers
squeaked in the silence, but voices later emerged in various forms. One of the performers told a
story about a time when she won a firecracker award; this was unexpected and caused the
audience to laugh uncomfortably. Another would misplace some of the trophies on stage, and
someone else would place them back into their proper place; the last trophy to be corrected was
held by each member as she stated why she deserved the award, competing for first place. They
showed the need for placement again by rotating who had first, second, and third place through
level changes first place is standing, second place is on the knees, and third place is sitting.
Later on, AGA Collaborative sang Queens We Are the Champions to emphasize the concept
of being a winner. Upon completing the lyrics of the chorus, they formed a pyramid and
constantly alternated to be at the peak. Suddenly, Survivors Eye of the Tiger played while the
females were collapsing in slow motion, knocking over any trophy along the way. The music cut
out when they returned to a normal tempo, and, lastly, they told non-sense stories about minor
achievements, such as waking up on time.
The piece included pedestrian movement, a far focus, complementary costumes and
scenery, and a few forms of sound. The entire composition left me feeling slightly confused and
uncomfortable because I was unsure if it was supposed to be comical or serious. I looked over
the program notes to help me dissect the story, but there was not any valuable information. I was
stuck wondering why the dancers decided to portray the concept of rivalry in this manner. I
understood the relevance behind their choices but not the decisions themselves.
I found the absence of traditional dance elements meaningful because Ive realized that
not every dance I see will include elaborate costumes, a curtain opening, exceptional technique,
and continuous live or recorded music. Simple movements and short stories can be more
powerful and relatable than I thought. AGA Collaborative decided to creatively tell a story about
competitiveness and achievement; I discovered that each person has a different vision of success,
and you dont need an award to prove that you have accomplished something, whether it be
overcoming an illness or receiving good grades.
 My friend, Lindy Wicklund, and I arrived at the Black Box Lab Theatre in Robinson Hall
a few minutes prior to the shows starting time, seven-thirty post meridiem, on Saturday,
November 14, 2015 to view Hamlet. As we walked in, I noticed that the performance was not
going to be held in a traditional theatre setting. Instead, there were three rows of seating against
all four walls of the room. The walls were pitch black with torn white cloth draping from the top.
There were two large screens that displayed different rooms in four quadrants, acting like
security surveillance. There were concrete columns throughout the square stage, each broken up
in a few pieces by red tubes. I grew curious about how the production would incorporate the
scenery and face the four sections of the audience because I have not seen this kind of artistic
approach before.
The space was smaller than I had imagined but had just enough room for the fifteen
actors. The program noted that the cast was cross-racial due to a commitment to diversity, and
the people were chosen based off of their fit for the roles. I was aware of the cast while watching
but had no need to comment on the diversity; I believe that it is a bit odd to have to note that. A
couple of the actors, such as the man who played Hamlet, overacted even though they were best
for the part. Four of the actors played more than one role, resulting in a total of twenty
characters. The soldiers wore standard uniform, Hamlet was dressed as a messenger, the priest
and gravediggers were in stereotypical outfits, and others wore business casual or modern clothes
like jeans and a scarf. They entered from any corner of the room and from a door that was
directly beside my section.
When the soldiers walked on stage, the surveillance cameras were actually used. The
screens showed the stage, the audience, a hallway, and walkway. The hallway was used for a
killing, and I believe that seeing it offstage made it more dramatic and convincing. The walkway
was above us, and I could see a soldier walking across it both on screen and in person as if he
was guarding the theatre. From time to time, the cameras would cut out and a news broadcast
was shown. I am not sure why the cameras did not catch me off-guard right away, but the news
broadcast and use of cell phones confused me. I know that Shakespeare did not have this
technology, so I soon realized that the theatre department had recreated Hamlet to suit the
contemporary world. The program states that the show mirrored the life of college students and
did not include a set culture. Honestly, I did not ponder on the actual setting, but, after reading
the notes, I discovered that the plays purpose was to simply tell a modern version of Hamlet
without focusing on any specific location. However, one could say that the location was set at
our exact spot, the Black Box Theatre at UNC Charlotte.
The actors would walk in and out of the five doorways, and sometimes they would run if
the part of the play was intense. The funeral scene incorporated slow movement, unlike when
Hamlet was alone on the stage; he would jump and hold onto the cement columns. As he did so,
he interacted with the audience by making direct eye contact and by facing each section.
Additionally, the ghost of the old Hamlet was seated in a different section and later walked
sternly onto the stage, and the gravedigger allowed an audience member to hold a skull. The
lighting also affected the experience because suspenseful transitions would be pitch black and
the white drapes would illuminate red for anger or display a peaceful video of Ofelia in nature.
Although I have never read Shakespeares Hamlet, I was still able to gather a general
understanding of the story. I became curious about the original story, and I would like to read it
to note the changes the theatre department made. The experience was meaningful because I have
not been present at a theatre production before at UNC Charlotte. I was happy to view a different
area of the arts and became exposed to and aware of dances neighboring theatre department.