After months of preparation, the Point Park University Conservatory Dance Company presents the world premiere of “Five” under the collaborative leadership of the dance chair and associate professor of the dance department, Ruben Graciani.
“You can connect to yourself through the most organic part of you, which is your senses,” said Graciani, associate artistic director, in an interview Friday afternoon.
“Five,” created by Graciani and associate professor Kiesha Lalama, is a full-length sensory production based on the undefeatable resiliency and reprieve of the human spirit that premieres Feb. 5 and runs through Feb. 14.
The production follows the abstracted trials and tribulations of a man and illustrates through contemporary dance how humans use both their physical and mental being to push through the various hardships they may face in life. Graciani and Lalama use the sense of sight, touch, sound, taste and smell to capture the audiences’ imaginations and take them on a relatable path full of struggle and ultimate fruition by the lead character and supporting cast.
The show includes two casts, each consisting of a lead character and five senses represented by five supporting dancers.
“We started thinking about all of these other people; whatever it may be in their lives, these people all have something they have to get through and push beyond using every single part of themselves,” Graciani said, speaking on behalf of Lalama.
Not only did the two dance professors collaborate with each other and their students at Point Park, they also branched out and collaborated with various creative members of the Pittsburgh community. The show debuted at the Pittsburgh Playhouse on Feb. 5 and features live music by the local professional Bach Community Choir. The choir is onstage in costume on top of scaffolding performing music, ranging from the traditional Mozart and Bach to contemporary works, all while the dancers perform below on stage.
“I have always been attracted to vocal music because it adds an element of humanity,” Graciani said. “Artists working together is the wave of the future and I hope that from this experience, students see that it’s possible to successfully have different artistic identities and opinions working together to push a project forward.”
The director of the choir and co-choreographers made the music selection a collaborative process during the making of the show.
“We thought the idea of having contemporary dance with live classical music was an intriguing idea and seeing it done in such a large scale is amazing,” Jon Erik Schreiber, associate conductor of the choir, said. “The Bach Community Choir does traditional music in a unique way, which pairs well with the phenomenal level of artistry the dancers are capable [of].”
The opportunity to create large-scale projects for the Pittsburgh Playhouse is very sought after in the Pittsburgh community. In order for the university to choose a production that would perform on this stage, the heads of the dance department developed a process of proposals. Graciani and Lalama’s production of “Five” was the one chosen for the 2016 year.
Although the story of “Five” is a broad portrayal of human struggles, the idea behind the production was inspired in part by Graciani’s own personal tribulations. At the age of 40, after years of performing professionally, Graciani suffered injuries to various parts of his right hip and pelvis. After these injuries, he underwent three surgeries, which shifted his style of life. The surgeries had a 50/50 chance of working. He took the odds, and they did not work in his favor.
“I can never go back,” Graciani said. “To go from someone who was at the height of being an active, able bodied, professional dancer to someone who had many physical boundaries was extremely emotionally difficult and inspired the concept of the work.”
Christian Warner is a senior dance major at Point Park and serves as the male lead of “Five.”
“This production separates itself from others I’ve done in the past because it has so many intense technical elements that are way beyond just holding a prop,” Warner said. “We are strapped into things, we are tied up in ropes and we are leaping off of moving platforms that are six feet tall.”
Not only is the show a major challenge to the seniors’ stamina, the show necessitates a genuine development of the character.
“A rewarding aspect of being a part of this is having the opportunity to develop a character that has so much depth and not letting the stamina demands distract from maintaining the integrity of the character,” Warner said.
Warner’s feelings towards his involvement of the production mirror that of many who are involved. “The biggest thing I have learned from this process as a dancer and a student is that the choreographic process is long and challenging but the end product is always gratifying,” says Bianca Melidor, a “Five” ensemble member and sophomore dance major said.
Above all, Graciani hopes that the audience gains a connection to his cast through their projection of emotion and energy.
“I want people to be able to see themselves and think that they too can get better, they can ascend, and they too can rise above their struggles,” Graciani said.
“Five” premieres Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. and runs Feb. 6-7 and Feb. 12-14 in The Rockwell Theater at the Pittsburgh Playhouse in Oakland. Friday and Saturday shows start at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 12 p.m.
Tickets range from $10-24 and are available online or over the phone at www.pittsburghplayhouse.com or by calling 412-392-8000.
