Convocation gives behind-the-scenes look at ballet production

Laughter and music reigned at Tuesday's Convocation, "WeDunit! Making a Jazz Mystery Ballet: American Culture Reflected in Dance and Music," presented by choreographer Susan Hadley and composer Bradley Sowash.

Sowash introduced the Convocation by playing a piece that was a compilation of several jazz and classical compositions, which displayed the blend the two explored throughout the Convocation.

Combining ballet and film noir lead to an interesting feel, Hadley said.

"Imagine a dark room where the door creaks open, and on the screen is revealed the silhouette of a ballerina with her arms held gracefully overhead," she said. "This is not what Humphrey Boggart imagined he would find in that alleyway."

The duo featured their work from WhoDunit?, a ballet the two worked on for BalletMet, and many clips from the production were used throughout.

Working together was not a matter of simply getting together after the music and dances were written, Sowash said.

"We had no book to work with," he said. "Only when we knew how the room was supposed to feel and who the characters were could we sit down and ... begin an arm-twisting session."

Getting people interested in actually giving things like WhoDunit? a chance is difficult, said Hadley.

"This is a huge challenge in all of the arts, especially ballet and dance, which happen to be the ugly step sisters of the world," she said. "When we can get children to come, they are initiated to the arts and receive a cultural background."

Hopefully everyone will have a chance to see WhoDunit? within the next while, Sowash said.

"It will be appearing in Salt Lake City in the next few years, but we don't have a specific date on that," he said.