Hinge Dance Company rehearsed Wednesday night at Powerhouse Community Arts Center before their performance Friday. PHOTO BY: CLARA TURNAGE
Oxford’s Hinge Dance Company will be presenting its fall concert “Changes” today and Friday.
Since founding Hinge Dance Company in 2011, Lydia Siniard and Lindsay Fine have brought interpretive and modern dancing into the lives of the Oxford community. Both former students of the university, Siniard and Fine decided to join forces after graduation to incorporate their love of dance into an official dance company. Since then, Hinge has grown around the community.
“‘Changes’ is a theme Lydia and I came up with based on how our lives parallel with each other,” Fine said. “‘Changes’ gave us and the choreographers the flexibility to be inspired in our own way. It left open a nice and large interpretation.”
The show is a collection of different styles that all express different emotions.
The music of the show varies along with the choreography. Audiences this week can expect to hear songs that are instrumental with strong beats or with lyrics. The show incorporates a wide variety of contemporary music styles and genres.
“I am a huge believer that music is why we dance. We dance because of the music,” Fine said.
“Changes” is composed of 19 dancers and six choreographers. All of the dancers and all but one of the choreographers are local. Rachel Lowe is one of the dancers of the company as well as a performer in the fall show. Lowe, from Memphis, is currently in her second year at the UM pharmacy school.
“For freshman and sophomore year of college, I didn’t dance,” Lowe said. “Then, my friend and I made a pact that she would join the choir, and I would join dance, so I did. Now, this is my fourth show and my third year at Hinge.”
When describing the upcoming show, Lowe said it is very diverse.
“Every piece has something that someone can relate to,” she said. “Things are always changing, and it is easy to relate to whatever the choreographers are throwing out there.”
Ever since the founding of their dance company, Siniard and Fine have experienced the continuous support from the Oxford community.
“Oxford is very unique and takes pride in its local artists,” Siniard said. “Dance is another form of art that, maybe, had been missing in Oxford until we got here.”
“We have had some great support through the university’s sororities, through the YAC, through our local friends and through our studios that we teach at,” Fine said.
Wayne Andrews, director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, praised Siniard and Fine and the upcoming fall show.
“What I love about the show is that they do short pieces allowing us to see lots of different items,” Andrews said. “Lots of people get into the creativity of it and see lots of styles of dance in a short period of time.”
The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council works in the Oxford community to support different art programs including Hinge. The mission of the arts council is to provide local opportunities to local artist so they have time to focus on creating new art.
“We have been able to provide Hinge with tools and technical support, so they can focus on creating,” Andrews said.
As far as future plans, both Siniard and Fine are happy for the continuous support for Hinge and would love to see the company grow.
“We are very happy to be the resident dance company in Oxford,” Siniard said.
Everyone in the oxford community is invited to see Hinge’s “Changes.” General admission tickets are $12 pre-sale or $15 at the door. It will be performed tonight and Friday at the Powerhouse and a cash bar will be available. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
For more information and ticket or table reservations visit www.hingedancecompany.com or call (770) 655-1352.
