Dancers unveil 'Suite' at 'U'

Dance students gained the opportunity to work with choreographer Donald McKayle this week, as they prepare to unveil his "Rainbow Suite."

Although the universities around the country have performed the "Rainbow" etude, McKayle added the suite as a new element for the dance school show "Worldwide Rhythms," which will premiere in February at the Power Center. The show also features the choreography of three faculty members, Sandra Deyong-Torjano, Evelyn Belez-Aguayo and Robin Wilson.

McKayle's piece started out as a way for dance students to practice a professional work the same way theater and music students do. A dance professor at the University of California at Irvine, McKayle saw that many students were lacking this type of experience. "It's a chance for them to sink their teeth into something that's very established," he said. "It's a work that has a very long and ongoing history."

Based on "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder," McKayle's famous piece examining the emotional struggle of a chain gang, "Rainbow Suite" reworks selected portions of the dance for a different group of dancers. The original work featured seven men and one woman, while the dance school version will star 14 dancers, two men and 12 women.

In spite of the changes, the dance retains its potent theme. "The idea of being imprisoned in one way or another and persevering to stay alive is quite universal," McKayle said. "I'm sure this version will communicate that in the same visceral way."

McKayle performed "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" with dancers from Moscow to Buenos Aires. Since he started dancing professionally in 1948, he's worked on Broadway as well as with prominent companies, including Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and Anna Sokolow. Most recently, he choreographed the new work, "Danger Run," which will premiere in December, for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.

Of course, working with students provides a different atmosphere than choreographing for a professional company."When you work with a major company, you are working with professional dancers ... who can do anything you ask them," McKayle said. "With students, you are developing people. It's a very different process that has it's own rewards."

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