Newspaper Page Text
Page 12
entertainment
October 15, 1992
Student choreographer
teaches all the right moves
James Pelham Photo by Darmi Conner
By Danni Conner
Photo Editor
James Alex Pelham, a
student at Clark Atlanta
University is the Artistic
Director of “Colors Dance
Theater” here in Atlanta.
Pelham, a junior ma
joring in English, started
his dance career at an early
age. “I’ve always wanted
to dance and bring new
ideas and techniques to
this art form in hopes of
being as great as the leg
endary Alvin Ailey.”
After studying for sev
eral years Pelham said he
was fortunate enough to
apply his talent by danc
ing with several great
dance companies includ
ing one of his favorite Alvin
Ailey.
Pelham, the New York
native, relocated to Atlanta
to finish his education and
to teach technical dance.
“It was very hard to get
people in the dance in
dustry of Atlanta to un
derstand the type of back
ground that I have in
dance. Most of the people
here are into modern
dance or classical ballet
and bring nothing new to
the table.”
After being employed at
several dance studios,
Pelham felt compelled to
quit “due to differences in
interpretation and style."
Pelham finally got a
break when he began
teaching an aerobics class
at a studio called “Gotta
Dance.”
“I started teaching aero
bic classes that incorpo
rated dance movements
into the routine. I hated
teaching the class, but I
needed the money. By
luck, one evening the in
structor for Jazz dance
was out ill and I was called
in to teach the class. I
gave those people a work
out they would never for
get.
After filling in for the
instructor, I knew that I
needed at least one class
to teach my method of
dance.” Pelham finally
received the okay to teach
his own class.
Pelham specializes in
the art of technical dance
performance. “Mymethod
incorporates the techni
cal aspects of classical
dance by including emo
tions and body move
ments to carry out the
entire piece being per
formed,” he said.
The “Colors Dance The
ater Company” is a multi
racial dance company of
eight women and four
men, with Pelhan as ar
tistic director.
The group performs
four short stories acted
out through the dancers
movements and expres
sions which include Wish
ing Chair, Silent Pain, Cry
for Help and Epode,
Pelham’s first piece.
Silent Pain performed
by dancers Tracy Taylor,
Kristi Garrett, Gaye Gei-
ger-Hooker, Mary Jane
Norville and Jennifer Bell,
is the story of a woman
who must come to terms
with her past in order to
go on with her life.
“Long hours and a lot
of dedication go into re
hearsals. I expect my
dancers to be the best that
I know they are,” Pelham
said.
According to the danc
ers Pelham challenges
them to go where they have
never been before. “Noth
ing we do is with out mean
ing,” Norville said.
“He pushes you for the
better. Just when you
think you can’t go any fur
ther something magical
happens and you’ve
reached a new point in
your dancing,” said Tay
lor.
Pelham says he encour
ages his dancers to cri
tique each other. “Com
munication is the key. You
cannot watch yourself
during the performance of
a piece, so it takes some
one else to observe and
communicate to you what
you are doing wrong or
right, Pelham said.
The dance company can
be seen on November 2nd
and 3rd at 8:00 pm at the
14th Street Playhouse, lo
cated at the corner of 14th
street and Juniper.
Fashion show executed with style
Models practice walking.
Photo by James Murphy
By Chandra R. Thomas
Lifes tyles/ Entertainment
Editor
Strike a pose- Clark
Atlanta University’s
Homecoming Fashion
show, “Masquerade of the
Decades” exploded in
living color at the Vivian
Wilson Henderson gymna
sium 7:30 on Wedesday.
Luster Chauncey, fash
ion show coordinator, di
rector, producer, and CAU
student, described the
show as “powerful and
correct.”
The show, hosted by stu
dent, Regina Dyson, con
sisted mostly of CAU stu
dents but also included
two Morehouse College
students and a profes
sional model.
The show, displayed
works by African American
designer, Leon Stevens of
Atlanta and ten designs
by CAU student Jenine
Addison.
signers should be an inte
gral part of school shows.”
Chauncey said he saw an
excellent talent to create
and design in Addison.
Both he and Addison con
tributed some of their own
money to meet expenses.
Although he was later re
imbursed by the Student
Government Association,
Chauncey said he would
have contributed regard
less.
The show also included
designs from two stores,
Cignal’s and the African
American-owned bou
tique, Wilburne’s
Exclusives, located in
Greenbriar shopping mall.
Despite the hard work
and long hours that went
into planning, preparation
and rehearsals, Chauncey
said he was quite pleased
with theoverall student
participation. “I’m doing
it all with the help of my
co-director, Kelli Harrison
and assistant producer,
many others.
The show was accented
by quick-paced, flowing
scenes and powerful house
music. He said he carefully
picked each musical piece
to convey the mood and
distinctiveness of the
fashions exhibited.
Despite the overall
success of the show,
Chauncey said he
regretted not being able to
hold open auditions for the
models. “I don’t want any
one to be offended by the
selection process. SGA
approached me with such
short notice. I felt could
not adequately have open
auditions and produce a
quality show in that time
frame,” he said, “I only
wanted to do what was
best for a quality show.”
Chauncey chose models
he had worked with previ
ously in a show sponsored
by Proline last February
and thosewhoshowed po
tential or past experience.
plauded the models for
their diligence and felt the
models were extremely
cooperative and worked
hard to make his vision
come to life.
Chauncey hopes to co
ordinate another show for
the Spring that would in
clude open-auditions and
a more diverse display of
model-types.
^>“i;f€el'jtok^dent»4e<--J3h»«P^-^Qp^^A7^<>.-pQh3^ncey said he ap-