5th annual WAC Smash kicks off
By Megan Lester
April 27, 2005 9:00 p.m.
Don’t let the title of the show deter you.
True, the name may be equally suitable for a demolition derby or
a bloody boxing match, but WAC Smash 2005 is better known as the
fifth annual dance show put on by the World Arts and Cultures
Undergraduate Society, showing at 8 p.m. through April 29 in Freud
Playhouse.
Preparation for the show begins in November, when world arts and
cultures students submit proposals for their performances. The 20
works chosen this year run the gamut from modern, jazz and break
dancing, to spoken word and multimedia productions. The entire
production is student-run.
“WAC Smash was created for the WAC majors, by the WAC
majors,” said Lauren Ziminsky, a fourth-year World Arts and
Cultures and economics student, and a producer of the show.
“This is not an extracurricular activity for these
performers. It’s their career; it’s their livelihood.
It’s what they’ve dedicated their UCLA experience
to.”
And dedication is a definite prerequisite for rehearsal on a
Sunday morning in spring. Meredith Flores, a fourth-year world arts
and cultures student, led a rehearsal for the jazz piece she
choreographed, “She Wants to Move.”
“Don’t play it safe,” Flores advised as she
went over a daunting new combination. “Just don’t
fall.”
The same advice could pertain to many of the dancers’
performances. Marissa Ruazol, a third-year world arts and cultures
student, choreographed and will perform in a modern acrobatic piece
titled “Ressentiment.” She was inspired by Friedrich
Nietzsche’s book “The Genealogy of Morals,” in
which he speaks about finding happiness within oneself and not
through others.
“There is a lot of tension between the dancers,”
Ruazol said of her piece. “They come together, do an exchange
through movement, and realize it isn’t what they are looking
for, so they leave to look for the next person. They are trying to
fill this void through each other, but they can’t.”
Sarri Sanchez, a fourth-year world arts and cultures and
linguistics student, strives to parallel the structure of words
with that of movement in her multimedia piece, “Body
Language.” It involves modern dance, video projection and
over 150 feet of bungee cords.
“I’m a big right brain, left brain collaboration
person. I like to make smart art that’s still exciting to
watch,” Sanchez said.
Ruazol has a similar take on the show. With all the creativity,
passion and vigor behind it, WAC Smash may be named for its
hard-hitting performances.
“It’s a way to show to other students that we
aren’t just stupid dancers ““ that we actually do
work,” she said. “Our work isn’t necessarily
writing papers or taking exams. Our work is choreographing,
dancing, and performing.”
