See the Daily’s Milestones in Motion: CWRU Dance takes center stage with Martha Graham Dance Company

Triple major Rafaella Ortiz Cardenas was one of three CWRU Dance students sharing thoughts about performing with the Martha Graham Company during a year of historic celebrations.

Excerpt:

When the Martha Graham Dance Company brings its centennial tour to Cleveland on Jan. 31, at Playhouse Square, Case Western Reserve University students won’t just be in the audience—they’ll be on the stage.

Ten undergraduate and graduate dancers from CWRU’s Department of Dance will perform as part of the program, making the university one of a rare few invited to appear alongside the world-renowned company during its 100th-anniversary season. For many students, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“This is something they’ll probably remember for the rest of their lives,” said Gary Galbraith, CWRU professor of dance and a former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company. “This is one of the most eminent companies in the world, and they’re sharing the stage with them. That’s going to stick.” …

Rafaella Ortiz Cardenas

What did it mean to you personally to be chosen for this opportunity with the Martha Graham Dance Company?

I was the most excited person in the whole world. Martha Graham is the pioneer in modern dance and we study what she did every day during technique classes. It meant so much to me to have been considered for this and that they trusted me to be ready for this opportunity. It’s not only the fact that we are going to perform on a huge stage downtown, but that the Martha Graham Dance Company dancers and directors are going to be there watching us as well. They are professionals and it is a really big responsibility and honor to be able to do this. For me, it also represents an opportunity to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone. This is an opportunity to grow as a dancer and performer.

How does this experience differ from other performances or projects you’ve been part of at CWRU?

This project is different in so many ways. First of all, this is not a new piece—we are staging a piece that premiered in 1936. Steps in the Street is very famous choreography that has been performed many times. This is why it was really interesting to see how the piece evolved through the years and the different versions that exist in terms of steps, technique and movement dynamics. This is a different experience than having a choreographer creating their own piece. Here, a lot of the time, we had to figure things out by watching the video repeatedly till we all agreed on the tempo or on the exact step—this is something that I had not experienced in other projects at CWRU. However, this is how it’s done for many of the repertoire that dancers in professional companies have to learn.

What do you hope audiences take away from seeing CWRU students on stage with the Martha Graham Dance Company?

I hope the audience can appreciate the legacy of Martha Graham and how her work is still impactful to the world up to this day. I also hope that they appreciate the level of discipline, dedication and commitment that CWRU students bring to performing this historic and meaningful work. Performing alongside the Martha Graham Dance Company is not only an honor, but also a huge responsibility that shows the rigor of our training and the seriousness with which we approach what we do. Most importantly, I hope that the audience feels something while watching us perform. I hope they can sense our collective energy and teamwork that has been a major focus through our process. I hope this makes them feel moved, connected or inspired to go and work on achieving their dreams.

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