Aaron Young of Taiwan, a member of the Bates Dance Company, rehearses for “Tensile Involvement,” a piece by modern-dance master Alwin Nikolais to be presented as part of Bates College’s Fall Dance Concert.

LEWISTON — Bates College’s Fall Dance Concert will bring together a wide range of styles, from hip-hop to videodance to 1953 classic, in performances on Nov. 10-12.

Guest artists are from across the country and here in Maine.

Featured will be new hip-hop and modern choreography by Robin Sanders of San Antonio, Texas, and Tiffany Rhynard of Gainesville, Fla.; the 1953 piece “Tensile Involvement” by modern-dance master Alwin Nikolais; students in Maine choreographer Debi Irons’ advanced jazz repertory class; and a videodance and a solo by Rachel Boggia, assistant professor of dance .

Sanders’ “Rhythm-n-Roots” highlights the history of hip-hop dance. At Bates this fall, Sanders taught student dancers classic hip-hop techniques such as popping and tutting. The roots of hip-hop reach into traditional West African dances, which make an appearance in the finale.

“Subverting Normal: Ensemble #2” by Rhynard uses movement and spoken language to examine the complexities of social behavior. The piece “challenges our assumptions and expectations of normalcy,” the choreographer said. “Drawing from personal reflections on identity, the dancers demonstrate similarities and differences that ultimately connect them as human beings.” The athletic piece incorporates swing-era partnering and other genres.

“Tensile Involvement” is structured around elastic bands that criss-cross the stage and extend the dancers’ sharp and sinewy movements to the rafters. Combined with Nikolais’ original score and rich lighting, reconstructed by Michael Reidy of the Bates faculty, the piece creates a world that feels fresh and exciting despite its 50-plus years of age. The piece was taught to Bates students by Alberto del Saz, artistic director for the Nikolais-Louis Foundation for Dance. 

Maine choreographer Irons presents jazz dance as a melting pot, with influences ranging from the Caribbean to Eastern Europe.

Boggia’s new solo, “Shadow Game,” is actually a duet. Her father, Chris Boggia, is shown training a horse in video projections that figure heavily in the piece.

Boggia also collaborated with students to create a videodance in the Bates squash courts. “Choreographing for the camera in a nontraditional space is very different from choreographing for the stage,” Boggia said. “It allows me to play with time and space in ways that are impossible in live performance.” The students featured in the videodance also shot much of the footage.

Student performers from many backgrounds and with diverse levels of experience worked with guest artists. 

Performances will be at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11; and 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, in Schaeffer Theatre, 305 College St. Admission is $6 for the general public/$3 for students and seniors.Tickets are available at batestickets.com. For more information, call the box office at 786-6161 or 786-8294.

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