Dancers anticipate Nikolais

Andrea Dispenziere and Tara McArthur joined Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company this year, and this is the first time they are dancing Alwin Nikolais' "The Crystal and the Sphere," which is part of the RWDC's upcoming production this weekend.

The program is designed for families and features a series of Nikolais works that include "Waddle Birds," "Outer Space Clown" and "Chess Skaters."

The work, which will be performed with black-light effects, was set on the company by Nikolais/Louis Foundation for Dance directors Murray Louis and Alberto del Saz.

Dispenziere, who called the Deseret News from the company's tour stop in Alaska, had some things to say about performing a work created by the late modern-dance and performing-arts pioneer.

"I remember seeing Alwin's work during my studies while in New York," said Dispenziere. "And he was such a brilliant artist. I also knew that Joan (Woodbury) and Shirley (Ririe) were also modern-dance pioneers. So joining their company and performing Nikolais works is a major thing for me."

Dispenziere said she feels the pressure of making sure she does the works justice.

"I put the pressure on myself because I know how important these works are," she said. "I know that there are a lot of expectations and I want to make sure I do my part right."

This is not the first Nikolais work Dispenziere has danced, she said. In September, she danced in RWDC's production of "Tower." That production featured a segment called "Liturgies," which explored rituals and perceptions in humanistic and animalistic frames. One of those excerpts will be revived for "The Crystal and the Sphere."

"In 'Tower,' the work was more like an animal trying to get away from two captors," said Dispenziere. "But in 'The Crystal and the Sphere' it comes off as a little different. Like I'm a sun god."

Still, said Dispenziere, who graduated from New York University, and had worked with RWDC artistic director Charlotte Boye-Christensen in various workshops in New York, said she is looking forward to be a art of RWDC.

"I especially love to be dancing these works that are all encompassing and come from one brilliant mind."

Like Dispenziere, McArthur said joining Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company has given her the first opportunity to dance in a Nikolais work.