Thursday, May 30, 1996
Dance seniors to put on final project this weekendBy Kathleen
Rhames
Daily Bruin Contributor
If you ask graduating senior Kyla Barkin to explain this year’s
dance concert theme, "Out of WAC," you’ll get an energetic
reply.
"Being that we’re one of the last classes to graduate as dance
majors makes everything feel all out of wack," she says. "Ever
since the Dance Department’s merge with the department of World
Arts and Cultures, everything has been crazy and chaotic for
us."
All the craziness, however, hasn’t stopped this year’s crop of
senior dance students from putting on another promising concert.
Barkin is one of several students to perform their final works this
weekend. These self-choreographed pieces will be their final thesis
project  an event which they have been planning since their
freshman year at UCLA.
"It took a long growth process to reach a point of maturity in
our choreography and artistry," Barkin says. "It’s been a
continuous journey, building on what our senior piece was going to
be. It’s like our senior thesis, our final exam."
The concert consists of 10 dance pieces ranging in both
technique and choreography. While there is no cohesive theme to the
performance, the dances are connected by a diverse web of culture
and repertoire.
"You might see the twist of a wrist and know it’s the Flamenco,"
Barkin says, "or see a little jump that you would recognize from an
African dance."
Motifs such as family, relationships and life experiences are
depicted through body movement and reflect each artist’s ability to
create dance with an individual style and grace.
Barkin comments on one of her own pieces, choreographed around
the idea of self-acceptance and spirituality. She credits the Dance
Department’s recent merge with World Arts and Cultures for
providing her with the freedom to explore different cultural forms
of dance.
"I’m using very pedestrian type movements in the beginning,
turning eventually into a very technical, athletic movement," she
says. "From there it moves into West African dance. Having taken a
class in West African dance through the World Arts and Cultures
department, I’ve learned more about these types of rhythms and how
to interpret them into my body and translate that into
movement."
Barkin’s inspiration for her piece was taken from a painting.
Captivated by the story and its characters, she was determined to
bring its stillness to life through dance. She prides herself on
incorporating a diverse collection of dance forms to convey the
nature of the painting.
Being the assistant producer of this year’s concert, however,
has enabled Barkin to experience an entirely new side to her senior
project. Forced to juggle the responsibility of running the concert
and rehearsing her own individual piece has made her adamant in one
aspect.
"Experience, experience, experience! I’ve learned a lot of team
work, committee work," Barkin says. Being able to maintain your
sanity and creative process at the same time is the most agonizing
part of the project."
If there is one thing that Barkin wants the UCLA community to
experience after the concert, it is a renewed appreciation of dance
as an art form.
"We want to encourage the fact that dancing sticks around and
that everyone is supportive and realizes the importance of art in
our lives."
EVENT: UCLA Senior Dance Concert: "Out of WAC" performed this
Friday and Saturday in the Dance Building, Theater 200. Free
admission. For more info., call 825-3952.