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.”