Like light shining through a prism, the stage lights of the Manship Theatre will illuminate a full spectrum of colorful dancers this weekend. Baton Rouge’s own modern dance company, Of Moving Colors, will take the stage for its 20th anniversary performance on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Called “Luminescence,” the show will feature works from performances of the past two decades. Many of the pieces center around specific colors, such as “Paradise Orange” and “Citrus Demise.” “Luminescence is like the reflection of all color,” said OMC Director Garland Goodwin Wilson. “It’s color illuminated.” Wilson said the show’s title has three interpretations. “It illuminates the history of our company,” Wilson said. “The work we’ve chosen has been broken down into seven sections of illumination, like time and interaction. And we always hope that our audience leaves the theater a little more illuminated.” While OMC focuses mainly on modern dance, the company also incorporates different aspects of the arts into its pieces. Eighteen dancers, six musicians, two poets and one visual artist will perform. Contributing artists include poets Chancelier “Xero” Skidmore and Ava Leavell Haymon and visual artist Winifred Ross Reilly. The company has also put together a band to play for the performance, called Highly Unlikely. Led by Lindsey Spiller, the band will feature vocals by Lindsay Rae Spurlock, an indie rock singer formerly of local band Lucid Soule. There will be a cameo dance performance by the company’s founder Lisa Hooks-Murray and Baton Rouge native Alice Pascal-Escher, associate professor of dance at Tulane University. Hooks-Murray was the artistic director for the first decade of the company’s existence when it was called In the Company of Dancers. In 1997, it merged with Wilson’s newly formed company, Of Moving Colors. Wilson has served as artistic director since the merger. “The company itself has grown tremendously,” she said. “Artistically, and from a business perspective, it has become a stronger entity in the community.” Currently, the 16-member company consists of mostly adult professionals, five of whom are students. Anne Tangi is a company member and international studies sophomore. She said, in addition to multi-faceted dance pieces, short vignettes will be included in the show. “They’re pieces that involve a lot of humor and acrobatic-type movement,” Tangi said. There are also two University theater professors in the company, Christine Chrest and Dina Melley. Melley teaches modern dance classes at the University and has performed across the world with various dance companies. She received her formal training in ballet at the Boston Conservatory. “The difference between modern dance and ballet is the use of the floor and breath,” Melley said. “There is a constant connection to the floor whereas in ballet you are more lifted, wanting to look weightless.” Wilson said the performance will be a good opportunity for people to learn about modern dance. “The work that the company does is a great adventure for a potentially new dance enthusiast,” she said. Friday and Saturday’s performances will be at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $35.
—-Contact Lauren Walck at [email protected]