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PHOTOS: Danceworks 2025 interpreters explore energy, identity, societal pressure at Northwestern

One of the student interpreters repeatedly runs up and slides down a sheet of plywood held at an incline by other performers. The interpreter’s failure to reach the top of the board signified the systemic oppression and struggles marginalized and migrant populations face. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

By Frances Mack
Medill Reports

Danceworks 2025: “signal::transfer” was an interpretative dance performance held at Northwestern University’s Louis Theater between March 14 and 16. Undergraduate and graduate students, along with professional dancers, acted as “interpreters” for the show themes.

According to Artistic Director Thomas DeFrantz, “signal::transfer” explored themes of energy exchange, identity formation, societal pressure and the role of social media.

“I think in the end, I wanted the show to remind us that our friends matter,” DeFrantz said. “That we don’t think the same things, we don’t care about the same things — but we certainly live next to each other and we can hopefully thrive among each other.”

Medill Reports was granted access to the final dress rehearsal of the show to capture glimpses of the interpreters at work.

 

Mary Kate Tanselle stretches and warms up her muscles before the final dress rehearsal for Danceworks 2025: “signal::transfer” on March 13. Danceworks was an interpretative dance show at Northwestern University’s Louis Theater. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

Tanselle (left) and Erin Soko (right) hold hands and tap out a rhythm in sync between dance numbers on Northwestern’s Louis Theater stage. As “transfer agents,” the pair came out before and after each dance to tap and silently interact, guiding the audience through the show and its themes. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

A dance interpreter arches her head back, hiding her face under a spotlight, during “The City of Others,” the opening piece of “signal::transfer.” The piece, choreographed by Rafael Palacios, used Afro-Colombian dance to reflect on the complexities of cultural and identity-based othering and the sense of isolation it creates in cities. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

Student and professional dancers sit in chairs and dance at the final dress rehearsal. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

 

“The City of Others” performers lift one interpreter over their heads as she thrashes and tries to escape just before the end of the piece. Throughout the piece, a spotlight singled out individual interpreters for evocative solos as the rest of the group continued dancing together synchronously. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

(From left to right) Mariel Melendez, Palima Lukins and Lina Morhai stand poised in arabesques, center stage at the beginning of “Who’s in Charge,” the second number of “signal::transfer,” during the dress rehearsal. Melendez, a second-year theater Ph.D. student, said audience members who have never experienced the ballet world may not fully grasp the message of the piece. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

Lukins, Melendez and Morhai stand in the center of the stage holding one another after performing an excerpt of the four little swans variation from “Swan Lake.” Throughout the piece, the interpreters seemed to be battling to stay in control, oscillating between traditional ballet and organic, free-flowing movements as the classical music was interrupted by bursts of a remix of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

(From left to right) Michael Landez, Laila Spencer and Sarah Mininsohn use a selfie stick to hold up a phone sending images to a background projector while performing “At The End,” the final piece of “signal::transfer.” According to choreographer Al Evangelista, the piece explored the concept of being tracked by technology and the harm excessive technology use can have. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

The cast, crew, choreographers and directors of Danceworks 2025: “signal::transfer” pose for a group photo on the Louis Theater stage after the final dress rehearsal on March 13. There were four performances of the show between March 14 and 16. (Frances Mack/MEDILL)

 

Frances Mack is a graduate journalism student at Medill, specializing in

health, environment and science. You can find her on LinkedIn and contact her through email

at francesmack2025@u.northwestern.edu.

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