Sunday, May 12, 2013

World Dance Concert


Madeline took her first school dance class this year at Mont’ Kiara International School (MKIS). The class covered African and Modern dances as well as other dances from around the world.  One class requirement was to choreograph and teach her own group of middle and high school students a cultural dance. Madeline chose hula as the dance she would choreograph and teach since she has been hula dancing for more than 6 years and loves it.

All the dancers have been working very hard for the past few months, putting in numerous hours of practice each week choreographing, teaching, and learning many new dances in preparation for the spring concert. This past Friday, Madeline’s hula dancers were the opening number at the World Dance Concert at MKIS. In addition to her hula dancers, Madeline included her brother, Gabriel, in the show. At the beginning of Madeline's dance, Gabe blew the conch shell while Madeline chanted in Hawaiian. Joe and I were both wet eyed seeing her success in this newest endeavor. 

The entire show consisted of 16 numbers encompassing American folk dances, hula, Modern dances, African, Bollywood, and K-Pop (Korean Pop). It was splendid and I ended up taking over 400 pictures! I couldn’t believe it when I got home. I’ve now edited the pictures to about 200 and will include 66 of my favorite pictures below. Unfortunately, the combination of a dark auditorium, a dark stage with bright spotlights, and me, a beginning photographer with a standard DSLR camera, the pictures didn’t meet up to my expectations, but hopefully, you will get the “picture”. And now I know what additional photography lens I need for future photography in dark theaters.

Oh, and as an aside, I sewed the 16 skirts and headpieces for the African dances, so pay close attention to those ; ).


dancer/choreographer, Mariana in Yearning
Yearning
dancers milling around during rehearsals
stage manager, Ashley
Madeline's middle/high school hula dancers
Madeline's 'besties' Michael, Jia Yu, and Monica watching the show from the audience


Madeline's hula song: Te Va Nui
Madeline, beginning her chant
Madeline and Gabriel, the dynamic duo (said the proud mama)
 
chanting Hawaiian and blowing the conch
Madeline's hula dance Te Vai Nui (The Well of Life)
Te Vai Nui
Te Vai Nui
Te Vai Nui
Te Vai Nui
Madeline's solo portion
more solo
more solo
Te Vai Nui
dancer/choreographer Aqilah in Reminiscence
dancer/choreographer Lovish in A Fine Line
A Fine Line
A Fine Line
Madeline in Props
dancer/choreographer Kate (far left) in Props
Props
Props
Props
Props
the Virginia Reel
Virginia Reel
Virginia Reel
Madeline's besties (Ahmed, Michael, Jia Yu, Monica
MC's Madeline and Natasha
African dance High Life
High Life
African dance-Yankadi
dance instructor, Nia Womack-Freeman in Yankadi
Yankadi
Bollywood dance Barso Re Megha welcoming the monsoons
Barso Re Megha
Barso Re Megha
Bollywood dance Yeh Ishq Hai- a dance about love
 
Yeh Ishq Hai
Bollywood dance Chammak Challo with modern and traditional dance elements
Chammack Challo
Chammack Challo
Chammack Challo
dancer/choreographer Sua (middle) in K-Pop Queens
 
Sua
Sua
Sua
 
Sua
Model United Nations dance Forest (about deforestation and balance between people and nature)
Forest
Forest

Forest

Forest (Madeline, 3rd from left)

Forest
Forest
Forest

Forest

Forest

Forest

advanced (IB) dancers Mariana, Kate, Miranda, and Aqilah

dance teacher Nia Womack-Freeman
stage manager, Ashley, with Jia Yu, and Madeline