Megan Swartz (left), Alara Tugcu (center), and Acacia Dayton (right) perform the piece “Thawra” at the Little Theatre for SF State’s School of Theatre and Dance’s production “Paradox” rehearsals on Oct. 19, 2022. Paradox is the School of Theatre and Dance’s first student-choreographed show of the semester. (Juliana Yamada / Golden Gate Xpress) (Juliana Yamada)
Megan Swartz (left), Alara Tugcu (center), and Acacia Dayton (right) perform the piece “Thawra” at the Little Theatre for SF State’s School of Theatre and Dance’s production “Paradox” rehearsals on Oct. 19, 2022. Paradox is the School of Theatre and Dance’s first student-choreographed show of the semester. (Juliana Yamada / Golden Gate Xpress)
The SF State School of Theatre & Dance is hosting their first in-person Paradox Student Choreography Showcase since the pandemic from Oct. 20 to Oct. 23 at the Little Theatre.
“Paradox: New Moves Student Choreography Showcase” is the first of three student productions being presented in Fall 2022 by the SF State School of Theatre & Dance.
According to costume designer Joe Greene, the showcase will feature dance and theatre students and a total of ten choreographers presenting one piece each.
“This event is choreographed entirely by students, which is very rare,” Greene said. “It is a huge opportunity for them to showcase their talents.”
According to Greene, each piece will feature three to five dancers and a handful of songs to explore its individual social themes.
“It’s a very diverse show and will tackle family dynamics, politics, cultural issues and much more,” Greene said. “It’s a great opportunity for these students to express themselves.”
Allison Mata dances in the piece “Il Vuoto” at rehearsals for the School of Theatre and Dance’s production “Paradox” in the Little Theatre on Oct. 19, 2022. (Juliana Yamada / Golden Gate Xpress) (Juliana Yamada)
According to choreographer and dancer Allison Mata, the unique pieces will allow audience members to connect with other cultures.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing my fellow choreographers’ pieces because everyone worked so hard over the past few months,” Mata said. “I’m very excited for my family and friends to see my piece.”
“There is so much variety in the pieces that will be performed,” said Stage Manager Svea Leventon. “Each choreographer has their own message.”
The dancers and choreographers have rehearsed their works for months. According to Leventon, the crew joined them for the past three weeks to work on the lighting and queues.
“It’s a really big production, especially since all of the pieces are so different from one another,” Leventon said. “It’ll be great for each audience member to come in and have a totally different experience than the person sitting right next to them.”
There will be four showings over four days, with the final show featuring a talk-back portion between the cast and crew.
“The choreographers have been developing their pieces at all hours of the day and night to make sure they create a moving experience for the audience,” said Production Manager Raissa Marchetti-Kozlov. “It will be ten extraordinary choreographers showing little bits of their hearts to the audience.”
According to Marchetti-Kozlov, the show will present a rare opportunity for the audience.
“It’s unique because this show will never happen again,” Marchetti-Kozlov said. “You will not have the same choreographers and dancers, will not have the same mood or feeling within the performances again.”
From Thursday, Oct. 20 to Sunday Oct. 23, there will be performances between 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The final showing will be Sunday, Oct. 23, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sydnie La Rosa (left) applies eye makeup on Alara Tugcu (right) before rehearsals for SF State’s School of Theatre and Dance’s production “Paradox” on Oct. 19, 2022. Paradox is the School of Theatre and Dance’s first student-choreographed show of the semester. (Juliana Yamada / Golden Gate Xpress)
David Blakeley (he/him) is a reporter for Golden Gate Xpress. He is majoring in journalism and minoring in labor studies. He was born in Orange County, California and has lived in San Francisco since 2013. David enjoys crime novels, drawing, skateboarding and screenwriting.
Juliana Yamada (she/her) is a Japanese American photojournalist with a passion for storytelling through her photos of underrepresented communities, as well as life in San Francisco. Juliana loves that journalism can help others learn more about each other, and she hopes to further that through her photos. In her free time, you can find Juliana at the thrift store, trying new restaurants or taking care of her many houseplants.
