In choreographer and CSULB alumnus Tashara Gavin-Moorehead’s “Obsidian Universe,” African American heritage is explored through dance in a sci-fi setting. Once these dancers take the stage, African American culture, spirituality and tradition are portrayed in every step. | Photo courtesy of the CSULB Dance Department
As the blood-red curtain rose on the spring-filled stage of the Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater, audience members were met with a whirlwind of motion.
It’s on this stage, reserved only for the art of movement, that the Long Beach State Dance Department puts on a fall faculty and guest artist concert.
This year’s program featured guest choreographer and CSULB alumnus Tashara Gavin-Moorehead, along with six faculty choreographers who helped bring the dazzling dances to life.
With a total of six dances and a runtime of approximately two hours, the concert showcased a variety of stories and dance styles from Nov. 19 to 22. Concert director, professor and choreographer Lorin Johnson shared that it’s these differences between dances that make the show such a spectacle.
“It’s the eclectic vision of the concert that I’m most proud of,” Johnson said. “It’s just fascinating.”
Some members of the audience seemed to share Johnson’s fascination as soon as the first piece – Gavin-Moorehead’s “Obsidian Universe” – graced the stage.
As applause welcomed the dancers and upward-flowing text filled the screen, the audience was invited into a Star Wars-esque future where the story and movements centered on African American culture.
Through sci-fi fantasy and the mixing of dance styles, the choreographer of “Obsidian Universe” illustrates a vision of the future while portraying the importance of culture, spirituality and tradition within African American history.
“I wanted to imagine a world where Blackness is celebrated,” Gavin-Moorehead said. “Going from Umfundalai, which is a contemporary African technique, into concert jazz, into Black dance theater, and into social dances which are all a part of this large continuum that began when we first arrived here as enslaved people.”
Dance professor Rebecca Bryant’s piece, “Hecho right in front of tú,” explores themes of invisible labor and background battles, all while incorporating camera and cord techniques into her art. Here, the camera and cord choreography are crucial parts of the dance as the performers tell the story. | Photo courtesy of the CSULB Dance Department
Using dance as a form of storytelling, senior dance major and concert performer Matthew Manuel said the piece he was in, “Desert of the Real,” stressed the importance of individuality for the audience to contemplate.
“This piece, to me, is really a reflection of truth and what it means . . . finding your identity and not letting it be washed over or influenced by others,” Manuel said.
In dance professor Andrew Vaca’s piece, “The Only Dance That Matters,” the ideals of non-sentimentalism and punk attitudes are shared through up-tempo rhythms that break the tension and allow the audience to have fun while understanding the point the choreographers and dancers attempt to make.
Kenya Smith, a senior dance major in Vaca’s piece, said she found meaning in the dance.
“The piece means to me, being a rebel,” Smith said. “Being a contemporary woman and facing the world. Taking on all those challenges and not being afraid to run down these challenges and being able to face them head-on.”
Along with bringing these stories to life within the world of dance, the department also uses other methods to bring focus to the feelings and ideals behind the dancers’ technique. Whether it be lights, sounds or live footage, the department works hard with multimedia and tech to create a captivating experience.
For dance professor Rebecca Bryant, the use of these techniques, although entertaining to the audience, was a challenge to overcome behind the scenes.
Within Bryant’s piece, cameras and cords move along with the dancers to tell the story of invisible labor and secret heroes.
“There was a whole choreography of cords as well as dancing,” Bryant said. “But it also, I hope, feels a bit simple because it lands on your eyes as one whole composition that’s quite creative.”
With each dance number approximately 20 minutes long, each choreographer had a chance to shine and share their vision.
Just as Bryant had hoped, their hard work paid off. The audience cheered, smiling wide and screaming their support after the conclusion of each act.
Third-year dance major Michelle Delgado was one such audience member.
“I would say [this show] is energetic. Unexpected. It plays with your emotions in a good way,” Delgado said. “It gives you a little taste of creativity … discovering what you can understand from just the body movement.”
For the Dance Department, the work is not over yet. The department plans to have another concert in March 2026, with more to follow before the end of next semester.
And, for those still on the fence about whether to join in on the next concert, first-time concert attendee Hedric Pisigan from Mount San Antonio College shared some encouragement.
“From this I learned … that dancing serves far more unique purposes than one might initially think,” Pisigan said. “And if you’re interested in finding out what those purposes are and what dance can mean to someone else, or what it can mean to you, I would suggest that you attend the show.”
link