Robin Becker’s evening-length piece, ‘Into Sunlight,’ will return to Hofstra University at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, in the John Cranford Adams Playhouse.
Becker has been a dance professor at Hofstra for 35 years. Her piece, “Into Sunlight,” premiered here at Hofstra and at the University of Wisconsin in 2011. The performance of the piece, inspired by the Vietnam War, has been recreated with a new set of dancers, featuring eight Hofstra alumni and one current Hofstra student.
The piece pulls inspiration from journalist David Maraniss’ book, “They Marched into Sunlight.” Becker said she studied student protests that took place at the University of Wisconsin, speaking out against Dow Chemical.
“Dow Chemical was this chemical company that made all these chemical weapons of war – like Agent Orange and Napalm,” Becker said. “Agent Orange was sprayed over lots of landscape and would ignite whole acres of land.”
Becker said she felt the need to act as an artist after studying the violence and deaths that came with the Vietnam War.
“I needed to make a dance that I hope will contribute to understanding and ultimately peace in our world,” Becker said. “I don’t believe dance is something to watch. I believe it’s something to experience.”
Camille Gordon, senior dance major, is a dancer in ‘Into Sunlight’ and has fully immersed herself in the learning process.
“[Becker] talked a lot about Agent Orange and really pulling from the guttural feeling of having to kill somebody or be killed,” Gordon said. “I can’t conceptualize how that must have felt, but I feel like through her process we’re able to physically embody that.”
To tap into her emotions while dancing, Gordon said she pulled from protests she has attended.
“The piece has a lot of emotion backing it and it’s really one that you have to tap into,” Gordon said. “You have to create a storyline not only for the piece, but for yourself to keep your mind in it.”
As a part of her process, Becker asks her dancers to dig deep to truly understand the significance of the piece and find a personal connection.
“I ask people not only to think about the steps, but really the authentic expression,” Becker said. “To do the homework of trying to first understand what it’s all about, and then to find its relevance to their own personal lives so that they can make it an authentic expression for themselves.”
Emily King, junior dance major, has been learning the sound and light cues for the show throughout the rehearsal process. She said her role has given her an outside perspective on the dancers and Becker’s process.
“When there’s people that know [Becker] and have worked with her, and they’re really in the choreography, you can see those corrections,” King said. “It’s really cool to watch, and you get sucked into the piece every time they do it.”
King said there are various sections within the piece portraying the story of the war.
“There’s a section of younger people becoming more aware of the state of the world,” King said. “Then there’s a different section of soldiers being together. It’s really significant to a lot of people… just watching it and relating to it or understanding what it means to others.”
Gordon said she hopes people who watch the piece will understand the intention behind the dancers on stage and feel connected to the story.
“Dancing and watching it you feel the reasoning behind why the piece was made,” Gordon said. “You might not understand the full story behind every section in the piece, but you will understand that this piece has a greater meaning behind it.”
Becker said she feels gratitude for the opportunity to bring ‘Into Sunlight’ back to Hofstra in a full-circle moment.
“It’s kind of like a homecoming in a way,” Becker said. “My hope is that people feel things and perhaps that would affect their choices [to] engage in the types of activism they may or may not take.”
If you are interested in attending the free show, you can RSVP on news.hofstra.edu.
