Dancers love it when they learn some “rep” from a top notch professional dance company in a masterclass. UCSB Arts & Lectures provides that opportunity numerous times a year for UCSB dance students as well as dancers from the community at large. Ballet BC’s brief residency in Santa Barbara last week was just such an occasion, and it’s fascinating to watch the transfer of knowledge and inspiration as company’s Rehearsal Director, Christophe Dozzi builds a segment of choreography, explaining the technical aspects, the thinking of the choreographer and what the company dancers bring to a piece. A few moves are learned, then more are added and strung together, the students all the while keeping more and more in their heads as they go through the segment over and over until the 3 or 4 minute excerpt is complete and they perform it to music a few times. This is when all the hard work they have put into developing techniques and the “language”of dance is used to move them closer to the dream of being an artist/athlete dancing great choreography.
