It’s good to look trashy

At Trash Bag Fashion Show, performing arts students choreograph movements of plastic-clad models.In this class, it pays to look like trash.

A halter-top made from garbage bags? Fabulous, darling. An evening gown compiled from perforated plastic strips and matching twist-tie? Honey, you’re getting an A+.

Proving that anyone can look good in garbage, about 80 students from Huntington Beach High’s Academy for the Performing Arts participated in the second annual Dance Department Trash Bag Fashion Show Saturday at the Huntington Beach Art Center.

“We used trash bags in this fashion show because they were not cost prohibitive and it left a lot to creativity,” academy artistic director Diane Weber said. “Plus, it’s a common medium for everyone.”

Offering more of an emphasis on dancing than fashion, the event is a chance for young choreographers to showcase their talents working with other students, many of them nondancers. This year’s performance integrated the four elements of choreography -- space, shape, dynamics and time -- challenging each student to develop a performance and costume to match his or her dance concept.

For choreography students Lindsey Newman and Allison Colton, both 16, it meant developing a performance to capture the concept of focus. It’s common in dance to use an isolated section of the body or placement on stage to direct the attention of the viewer. By constantly changing the direction and stage placement of their dancers, Lindsey and Allison hoped to challenge the viewer’s concept of focus.

“We were trying to achieve a broad range of dance movements and not just focus on solo dance movements,” Lindsey said.

The most difficult portion of the show was working with students who had little or no dance experience or formal training, Allison said.

“We were trying to incorporate everyone in a way that made them have the same ability.”

That element of the show would assist choreography students in their future careers, Weber said. When working with actors on movies or musicals, it’s common for thespians to have a dancing deficit.

“As a choreographer, part of the challenge is working with nondancers and making them look good onstage,” she said.

It took many rehearsals to get their routine right, student Robin Pagnelli said. Working without any accompanying music, Robin and student Neil Starkenburg’s dancers provided all the sound for the skit -- beginning with the narrative of solo tap dancer, quickly morphing into multiple synchronized beats and eventually an entire rhythm ensemble.

“I wanted to do a performance where the dancing was the music,” she said. “I think the biggest challenge was making it sound good. It took many tries, but once we got it down, everyone was excited about what we had accomplished.”

Saturday’s performance was the first in a series for dance students, Weber said. In February, dance students will participant in Fusion -- a faculty-choreographed exhibition for trained dancers. In May, the academy will host Creative Forces, a chance for choreograph students to show off their top talents with other dance students.

“Today’s performance gives a choreographers a chance to experiment with different musical styles and forms,” Weber said. “It also gives dancers a chance to perform for a smaller audience so they can gain the confidence they need.”20051110ippnw4kn(LA)