After an exhilarating and inspirational performance by the Martha Graham Dance Company at Big Bridges last Tuesday, HC Pomona dance aficionado Whitney Yang interviewed one of the student performers who danced the piece Panorama (1935), a monumental work for 26 dancers that speaks about social protest and dance as a weapon for social change. Justine Gordon (PI ’13) is a Dance Major at Pomona, from San Francisco, CA. Here’s what she had to say about the experience.
When I was little I took ballet in San Francisco, but stopped at approximately the age of ten. I began hip-hop classes and I became very involved in several workshops and small companies, dancing ballet, modern and jazz. I developed close relationships with Micaya, Alison De Oliviera and Gabrielle Thompson, all beautiful dancers and amazing teachers. I got the opportunity to perform many times and to be a part of a loving and supportive dance community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now, at Pitzer College, I am a dance major through Pomona College and am able to continue to grow as a dancer and artist; once again I am part of a remarkable dance community with wonderful teachers.
What have you learned through the experience in Panorama?
Performing in Panorama really pushed me to figure out how to use what is inside of me to execute very particular and exact movement. Before this piece, I had never performed movement that was so contained and bound, nor had I been asked to move so precisely and in such complete unison with a group of this size. This approach to movement was, at first, very frustrating and difficult to access; that the shape and form of my movement had to be exactly the same as the other dancers forced me to focus intently on how to stay present and alive in every moment.
What was your favorite part about working with the Martha Graham Dance Company?
I got to participate in a workshop with one of the dancers from the Graham Company; having the opportunity to have a closer interaction with him was extraordinary. In the workshop, we were asked to create our own Lamentation variation based on Martha Graham’s filmed performance of Lamentation. This experience was amazing from start to finish. It was so inspiring to hear how one of the dancers felt about Graham and her work; to work individually with the ideas he presented and to get personal feedback from someone so knowledgeable was unforgettable.
How has this performance experience affected the way you think about dance?
After this performance and this experience as a whole, I have gained a deeper connection between my movement and myself. I have really come to appreciate the true power of showing what is inside of you in order to have an impact on others. Dancing, and art in general, is about so much more than entertainment. What I have come to realize is that if dance really does come from within and if a true connection is found between the individual and the movement, the work can transcend entertainment to move others and change the world in some measure.
Do you plan to pursue dance, especially Graham technique, in your future?
I am a dance major through Pomona College and plan to continue to take advantage of all of the exceptional opportunities that arise in performance, technique and choreography. Based on my experience performing in Panorama, if a Graham technique class is s offered, I will seriously consider adding it to my course load. I feel as though I have just scratched the surface of this exacting technique and would enjoy learning more.