Students at Lane Community College who have been inspired by literature are performing a showcase of student-choreographed routines in “The Works” tonight.
In the performance, which kicks off a series of events at LCC in honor of National Dance Week, dancers use the art of movement to convey themes drawn from the nonfiction book “Privilege, Power, and Difference” by Allan Johnson.
The book, which dancers read as part of Lane Community College’s Reading Together Project, examines societal separations based on gender, economic status and race.
LCC dance student Emily Joyce will dance alone and express her reactions to the world.
“My piece is about moving through the world with these realities that abuse us every day, such as racism, class separation and sexism,” she said. “And we get to a breaking point where we can’t take it all anymore.”
Joyce will dress in street wear — everyday pants and a tank top — and perform modern moves to a spoken word soundtrack drawn from a student-produced documentary titled “The Arts and Culture Politics.” The documentary features interviews with Eugene and Portland-based artists.
“It is relevant to the world and how it relates to creativity,” she said. “Creativity is how we deal with pain and find hope, joy and beauty.”
Another student dancer, Richard Myers, explores human advantages instead of burdens. Myers will recite passages from “Privilege, Power, and Difference” throughout his dance struggle.
“I think it will make people kind of uncomfortable to see it,” he said. “They will look at their own lives and their own privileges, but they need to feel that and realize how many privileges they do have.”
Following three nightly performances of “The Works,” LCC will host five days of beginning and intermediate dance classes in tango, ballet, salsa, modern and West African idioms. Also featured will be a discussion forum, an open rehearsal, a lecture demonstration and video showing, all of which will promote dance as an art form.
Lane Dance Company will perform in the open rehearsal. The group is currently practicing a piece based on a second book, “Montana 1948” by Larry Watson, which was studied in the Reading Together Project. This novel details a prestigious family that deals with reputation-ruining events such as murder and sexual molestation.
“Both books chosen for the project involve diversity, discrimination and power in societies and families,” Simoa said. “They highlight the core value that Lane Community College holds, which is to celebrate and explore diversity.”
“The Works” will be performed tonight, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Performance Hall at Lane Community College, located at 4000 E. 30th Ave. Tickets are available at $6 for adults and $4 for students and seniors at the door, or through the Lane Ticket Office at (541) 463-5202. All other events run from April 26 to April 29 and take place in the Performance Hall and the Dance Studio. For a complete listing of events and times, call the Lane Ticket Office.