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June 26, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 19, 2004 All ages do the dance of life By Amanda Bolsinger Tidings Correspondent Appreciating the simplicity of growth and change throughout life was the subject of a celebratory dance this weekend when Tina Clark, a local dance teacher, captured life on stage and slowed it down for an evening of beauty and grace. Celebrating a life lived together, Herbert and Francis Petcheck, both 74, dance a waltz during a rehearsal of "Generations." The weekend show included dancers of all ages to portray the stages of life. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings In her dance recital, "Generations: If I had my life to live again," Clark choreographed a family growing and changing through the different dances of 34 performers. The performers ranged in age from one to 84. "Generations" was a recital that intermixes, song, dance, and poetry reading, all reflecting different stages in life. The performances started with one-year-old toddlers on stage dancing with their mothers to a cellist rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." "It was perfect," Clark said, "the babies flew on their moms feet, and every night it was different because we never knew what the babies were going to do once they go on stage." Clark represented the next age group with dancers ages five to eight dancing with their stuffed animals, followed by eight-to 10-year-old dancers. "The eight to 10 year olds were doing a little bit more complicated dancing," Clark. "Then we got the boys on stage, dancing with sticks, doing a very balletic, modern, martial arts type of dance. The boys ambush the girls and the girls end up running of stage screaming." As the dancers progress in age, the dancing progressed as well. The early teenage years were represented by a 13 year old, dancing en pointe to Vivaldi's "Changing Within," representing the changes of adolescence. Two girls dancing to "Mirror, Mirror," represented the turbulent high school years. "In high school there are all sorts of images of what we are supposed to look like," Clark said. "All this stuff that shows what you are supposed to be. This dance showed that, but also in the end, they end up going apart and being their own people." Performer Kevin Windows serenaded the audience singing "Inchworm" and John Lenin's "In my life." Windows represented transition into middle age. After his performance a poem was read describing fading hair color and appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but that ultimately life is good. "After Kevin, this sweet couple Herbert and Fran come on, dressed to the nines and do an anniversary dance to 'It takes two,'" Clark said. "They have been together for over 50 years, and they do this wonderful waltz, and it's hard for them, they are both 74 years old. But they did it full of life and energy." The performance hit its emotional peak with a four-generational dance with a six-year-old dancing on stage while her grandmother sits in her rocking chair. Then the mother and great-grandmother entered the stage performing tai chi to the music. "It so meaningful, Clark said. "Someone from the audience always comes up and tells me how moved they were." The final performance of "Generations" - a reading by Windows of "When I'm old, I'll wear purple"- was a fitting conclusion, Clark said. At dancers portraying the angels of death descended upon the grandmother in her rocking chair to take her away. "It is a giant celebration," Clark said. "It ends on a really high note, and that death is okay because we are celebrating their life. One of my little dancers got it perfectly when she said that 'Its okay, because if somebody doesn't die, then there is no room for us to live.'" Clark conceived the idea of "Generations" in 1994 while living in Savannah, Ga. This was her first time performing it in Ashland. Clark hopes to perform the dance twice a year. "I received grants and it really grew. I hope to see it progress that way here in Ashland and do it in spring and fall each year. It will still be "Generations" but always changing the way we are always changing." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams