Project Bandaloop - A Utah State University First

The appearance of Project Bandaloop was certainly a first for Utah State University with the arrival of black-clad dancers making their way down a wall of the Merrill-Cazier Library. The appearance also brought a first for the company by way of a mishap with a window, but that was quickly forgotten by the 1,000-plus individuals who saw the company’s early morning performance.

According to its Web site, Project Bandaloop honors nature, community and the human spirit through dance. The twist? The company performs on vertical surfaces — be that the side of a building or the side of a cliff, often hundreds of feet in the air. Under the direction of Amelia Rudolph, the company creates a blend of dance, sport, ritual and environmental awareness.

 

“Inspired by the possibilities of climbing and rappelling, the choreography draws on aerial, vertical and horizontal movement to craft dances, many site-specific,” the Bandaloop Web site states. “The work explores the relationship between movement and gravity and stimulates viewers’ awareness of their natural and built environments.”

 

The outreach performance on the USU campus was in partnership with the Associated Students of Utah State University Arts and Lecture Series and the Cache Valley Center for the Arts.

 

Company founder Amelia Rudolph, greeted the crowd and introduced the support staff and company. Utah State University students, faculty and staff filled the crowd, along with strong support from school groups, including students from the Cache Valley Learning Center, Fast Forward High School and the Edith Bowen Elementary Laboratory School.

 

“Don’t look at this wall the same way ever again,” Rudolph said.

 

She discussed the training involved in performing on a vertical surface rather than a more traditional horizontal dance floor.

 

“We work a lot on core strength,” she said. “Performing vertically is like doing a sit-up for six minutes. This is serious business — gravity is always persent.”

 

Rudolph said the company works with some of the best riggers and climbers in the world.

 

Since 1991, nearly half a million people have seen the company perform.

 

Project Bandaloop continues performances in Logan Friday, Sept. 14, and Saturday, Sept. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ellen Eccles Theatre as part of the Cache Valley Center for the Arts season. Call the box office for ticket availability, (435) 752-0026.