Hinge Dance Co. has ‘Greenlight’ to Wow this Weekend

Suanne Messer, Lydia Siniard, Rachel Ladner and Nadine Landis
Photo by Amelia Camurati

St. Patrick’s Day is not the only thing that’s themed green this month.

Oxford’s Hinge Dance Company is back this spring with Greenlight at 8 p.m. March 26 and 27 at the Powerhouse.

The contemporary dance company is owned and directed by Ole Miss graduates Lydia Siniard and Lindsay Fine. Hinge was first started on campus as a student led company in 2009. In its first year, the two became aware of the need for contemporary dance in Oxford. In 2010, they decided to take Hinge to the next level and turned it into a small business off campus. Ever since, Hingers have been providing the Oxford community with the art of dance and captivating entertainment twice a year.

This season’s show is composed of 11 dances all performed by returning company members. Each piece is choreographed around the theme of the show’s title, Greenlight. While last season’s production revolved around change, this show embodies the concept of moving on and riding the wave of life’s planned — and sometimes unplanned — journeys.

Francesca DeCosmo, Jana Rosenberg and Rachel Lowe
Photo by Amelia Camurati

Unlike the heavy mood of last season’s show “Changes,” the spring show includes dances that display more of a positive vibe and illustrate the “light at the end of the tunnel.”

One of Fine’s pieces, “Going Going Gone,” includes four dancers and is sure to leave audience and company members with a bittersweet taste. Fine explained that her choreography was inspired by her next big move to Nashville this year.

Sadly, that means it is Fine’s last show as co-owner, but the move does not result in her permanent absence from Hinge just yet.

Rachel Lowe and Rachel Ladner
Photo by Amelia Camurati

“We don’t want this to be sad or like we’re parting ways,” SIniard said. “Lindsay will still be involved with Hinge, just long distance.”

Fine explained that her piece “Going Going Gone” is about the sad, yet happy changes that everyone goes through at some point in life.

“I choreographed this piece about my personal sadness about moving from my dance friends and family here in north Mississippi, but also the excitement for my new endeavors in the Nashville dance community,” Fine said.

Lindsay Fine and Chase Welch
Photo by Amelia Camurati

Her choreography and the rest of the show symbolizes how some of life’s most exciting new turns can be some of the most difficult to embark as special bonds are formed.

Dancer Suanne Messer choreographed the show’s opening number “Unitary” as an example of five individual dancers bonding together as one. The dance kicks off the show with an upbeat and positive feel.

Messer explained how the unique piece of music and her detailed, fast-pace choreography is sure to demand the audiences attention, kicking Greenlight off with a bang.

“Each dancer plays a vital part in the dance and without each of them, it wouldn’t work,” Messer said. “I want the audience to watch this and see that each dancer is put in a certain place, told to go at a certain time and each used in a different way to create one quirky and complete unit.”

Francesca DeCosmo, Nadine Landis, Olivia Kelley, Jana Rosenberg, Rachel Lowe and Suanne Messer
Photo by Amelia Camurati

You can watch “Going Going Gone” and “Unitary” among many other captivating pieces by Hinge this weekend at the Powerhouse on University Avenue. General admission tickets are $14 and available online or at the door. Tables are still available upon reservation for Friday night’s performance, where audience members wine and dine from the best seats in the house. To reserve, call Siniard at (770) 655-1352.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m., so be sure to get out to support Hinge Dance Company and the Oxford arts scene this season!

Jana Rosenberg is a HottyToddy.com staff reporter and can be reached at jmrosen@hgo.olemiss.edu.