To the editor:
I am writing in response to the article, "Orchesis Impresses but Lacks Variety," published in your last issue. First and foremost I found the author's apparent lack of knowledge regarding dance extremely disappointing. Though I don't believe that an extensive technical dancing background is needed to critique a dance performance, I do feel that certain technical aspects should be taken into consideration, and that many critiques of the concert could have been avoided had the author viewed the performance with a more technical eye.
There was a theme throughout the article of a "lack of variety" and a tendency to repeat elements in multiple dances. Anyone with a background in dance, or any exposure at all would know that elements such as kick lines, pirouettes, and other steps are what constitute the dance vocabulary and are frequently drawn upon by even the most elite choreographers. To say that a certain movement shouldn't be repeated in more than one dance would make for an extremely short and uneventful dance performance - specifically in the style that Orchesis performs.
I also believe that the comment made about select dances being "well-hidden gems" is extremely offensive to the majority of the 180 members of the club who were not mentioned. Each dance in the show was choreographed by students, with a limited amount of rehearsal time, not to mention the varying skill levels throughout the club. Speaking for Orchesis's executive board we found this semester's show to be one of the best we have seen in our time here at Geneseo, rich with variety and excitement - both of which the critic failed to see.
I believe that the article presented some valid points which will be taken into consideration by choreographers in the future. However, ironically, the argument of the author was that the performance lacked variety, yet given the sheer number of dancers in the performance as well as the range of styles performed I feel that one would be hard-pressed to not witness the great deal of diversity, energy, individuality and especially talent that was portrayed in our last concert.
-Caitlyn Redmond