The final session of Round II followed Stierle Showcase matinee at Jackson Academy. Report later.
Rounds II and III were evening performances only. Crowd little thicker, still somewhat sparse.
Session III
Sirui Liu, #90, Sr., PRC, Rodrigo Almarales, #76, Sr., Cuba, Excerpt from Penumbra. Almarales elected an open shirt; Liu an ombre skirt; emphasized sexual tension.
Ami Naito, #28, Jr., Japan, Excerpt from Bad Winter. Rushed beat, seemed mechanical.
Jeong Hansol, #92, Sr., Korea, Excerpt from (serious). Beautiful jump; danced it like abstract painting.
MacKenzie Richater, #29, Jr., U.S.A., Excerpt from Bad Winter. Got the comic, spirit very well, even to slight salute with bow.
Kaori Fuku, #94, Sr., Jun Tanabe, #72, Sr., Japan, Excerpt from Penumbra. No notes.
Gabrielle Chock, #30, Jr., U.S.A., Excerpt from Bad Winter. Seemed to rush beat.
Jessica Assef, #95, Sr., Brazil, NCP Lamin Dos Santon, Excerpt from Penumbra. Dressed in lavender gown; Santon voted for the open shirt.
Aaron Bell, #31, Jr., U.S.A., Excerpt from Leatherwing Bat. Very classical rendition; fully articulate, reticent in presentation.
Intermission
Heewon Cho, #98, Sr., Byul Yun, #100, Sr., Korea, Excerpt from Switch Phase. Well danced; caught tension through phrasing.
Jinsol Eum, #34, Jr., Korea, Excerpt from Leatherwing Bat. An foreigner nearly captured U.S.
regional idiom; Korean folk dance tradition helped.
Kota Fujishima, #99, Sr., Japan, Excerpt from (serious). Good but not exceptional.
Gisela Bethea, #35, Jr., U.S.A., NCP Michal Slawomir Wozniak, Excerpt from The Last Glass. Well danced; impression still slight
Melissa Gelfin, #101, Sr., U.S.A., Telmo Moreira, #80, Sr., Portugal, Excerpt from Switch Phase. Very strong interpretation.
Romina Contreras, #38, Jr., Sebastian Vinet, #73, Sr., Chile, Excerpt from The Last Glass, very lyric quality.
Tamako Miyazaki, #102, Sr., Japan, NCP Ariel Breitman, Excerpt from Penumbra.> Good, but less impressive than Round I classical.
There clearly was a sense of “round up.” following the last variation, and tension for the dancers.
Those advancing will have the cumulative scores from Round I and II discounted, and will be subjected to entirely new scores for Round III. They will enjoy a $1,000 stipend from a local foundation to assist in travel expenses.
mywesterneye/woollywesterneye 