Blue lights flicker on a smoke-filled stage as the shapes of six women are slowly revealed. Their bodies pulse with the accompanying discordant music with eyes cast downward, causing a seductive mystery to fall over the dusky stage. Inviting yet commanding, the women are a force to be reckoned with as they create their own space of power, sexuality, and ownership.
Choreographer Roderick George’s new work, F.E.M. Queen, is a stunning highlight of the Utah Ballet I performance. The other three pieces in the show are no less talented or entertaining, they simply fall into the category that one might expect to see when attending a performance put on by a ballet program. F.E.M. Queen is anything but. From the moment the curtains open, the atmosphere of the Hayes Christensen Theatre is completely altered. Gasps and exclamations emanate from the audience, and immediately the dancers have every set of eyes following each little gesture or roll of the hip.
It is rare that the University of Utah sees such an assertive and commanding work of art from a group who is usually expected to act so demure and in a traditionally “feminine” manner. What this piece does is redefine femininity and allow for each dancer to reveal their strength and versatility. In many interviews George mentions how he was drawn to the idea of the queen in the game of chess due to her adaptability and power. Each of the women in the piece show their vast capabilities throughout their impeccable unison phrases and their individual moments, each a queen in their own right.
There are four more opportunities to see this fiercely inspiring piece this coming weekend. Show dates are Thursday 11/9 at 5:30 pm, Friday 11/10 at 7:30 pm, and Saturday 11/11 at both 2 pm and 7:30 pm. Tickets are free for students with your Ucard, so make the most out of your Arts Pass and come to this wonderfully cultivated show. Along with F.E.M. Queen are three magnificent works, including faculty-choreographed pieces and a restaging of a classical ballet.
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