Dance Nation: Coming of Age Comes Alive Onstage!

By Nóra McIntyre

On November 10th-19th, the UAF Theatre and Film Department presented Dance Nation, directed by Daniel Ponickly. Dance Nation is a play by Clare Barron that delves into the trials and tribulations of youth through the eyes of a competitive dance team.

The playbill gave little away about what the show would entail, save for an “R” rating which warned play-goers that this show would tackle more than just dance competitions. What the audience came away with instead was a raw and unflinching depiction of humanity that deftly moved from comedy to tragedy and back again. 

We have talented actors to thank for the grace with which they handled difficult themes and the skill with which they portrayed such a full range of human emotion. Such stunning performances were coupled with truly unique and arresting sound and set design. The result was a show that was at times surreal, absurd, and surprising, but, at the same time, personal and relatable.

The cast of Dance Nation

Photo by Kjrsten Schindler

The cast list was small, allowing each character the chance to shine. Kalesha Pearson played Amina, a talented young dancer who struggles with her own ambition and success. Pearson’s emotionally wrought performance drew special attention to the impact of her character’s success on her relationships with those around her.

Daisy Carter portrayed the character of Zuzu, another dancer who consistently comes second to Amina. When Zuzu is given the solo instead of Amina, she has the chance to be a star. In her depiction of Zuzu, Carter artfully balanced a determination to succeed that nears desperation and the despair of not reaching what you strive for. 

This clash for stardom is brought about by dance teacher Pat, played by Bryan Kramer. Kramer skillfully handles Pat’s quick turns from comedic quips to sinister jabs at his young students as he leads them to nationals. 

And speaking of mentors, the performance of Jerryn Gray cannot go unnoticed. Gray portrayed a dancer who suffers a severe injury as well as all the mothers in the show. Gray’s quick changes in style and personality, from supportive to backhanded and everything in between, were impressive to say the least. 

The entire dance troupe grapples with the desire for glory and the pressure that comes with it, which mirrors the pressures and difficulties of growing up. 

At one point in the show, Ashlee, played by Hannah Greene, delivered an audience-arresting monologue in which she reflected on her own power and capability, as well as the inherent dangers and struggles she faces in the world.

In a later monologue, Maeve, played by Diane “Bunny” Fleeks, brought forth bittersweet heartache for the audience with the whimsy of her revelation that she can fly and then with grief in her realization that as an adult she’s forgotten how. 

The character of Luke, played by Steven Anderson, also dealt with some heartache, in the form of an unrequited crush on Zuzu. Anderson’s portrayal of Luke, a character with notably less drive to succeed in dance than others, was subtle, nuanced, and quietly moving. 

Towards the end of the show, Connie, played by Sumana Sahoo, delivered an aching monologue which speaks to these difficulties and the way they continue to manifest into adulthood. The Dance Nation script calls for adult actors for this reason– to further emphasize the idea that these experiences in youth shape us later in life. 

Not long after the show’s run, I had the chance to sit down with Kjrsten Schindler, who acted as stage manager, and Bethany Cohen, who played the role of Sofia. They reflected on their experience working on Dance Nation, and provided some more details about what went on beyond the stage. 

Throughout the play, the character of Sofia acts as a sage and an informant for her fellow dancers, seeming to know all there is to know about adult matters. In her first appearance onstage at UAF, Cohen masterfully portrays the fear and vulnerability of coming up against problems you don’t have answers for, and the difficulty in asking for help. 

In discussing the script, Cohen shared that many of the characters in the show were relatable, especially for someone with a dance background. As for tackling the role of Sofia, she found that through many read-throughs of the script, her character went through an evolution. She also highlighted the difficulty of the quick emotional changes the characters went through, as there were many smooth transitions without scene breaks, as well as time jumps. 

As to the balance of comedy and tragedy in the script, Cohen spoke again of evolution, noting that each read-through of the script felt new and different, and that with enough read-throughs, “the serious and the funny interloop with each other. Even the serious becomes funny to you and the funny becomes serious.”

In speaking of her experience working on the production, Cohen noted how great it was to work with friends and to make new ones. This sentiment was shared by Stage Manager, Kjrsten Schindler, who expressed her gratitude for the new connections she made while working on the show.

Schindler also credited a sense of community and teamwork for making everything come together backstage. She shouted out her assistant stage managers, Jazzanne Gordon, Taylor Kamrath, and Connor Bierer, as well as the set designer, Alex Gagne-Hawes, the lighting designer, Seamus Knight, and the sound designer, Flyn Ludington.

Dance Nation is a truly unique production in the way it makes use of light, sounds, special effects, and all parts of the stage. The scenes themselves are also unique, with many scenes bleeding together without clear divisions. As Schindler explained, this made for a lot going on behind the scenes, with handling props, cues, and so much more. 

She shared that the tech for the show was student-led, including sounds and lights, and that making it all come together was a labor of love that required clear communication and unity– “we had to be in tune with each other and trust each other.”

Hard work and creativity from the cast and production crew paid off for a truly memorable audience experience. 

To learn more about future projects from the UAF Theatre and Film Department, or if you’re interested in participating, check out their website: https://www.uaf.edu/theatrefilm/.

There are countless ways to get involved!