For Linda Goodrich, chair of the Theatre and Dance Department at Sacramento State, this springs’ concert performed by the Sacramento/Black Art of Dance is all about the showing the “passage to freedom” walked by blacks.

Inspired by what she called the “ultimate achievement” of President Barack Obama’s political victory and inauguration, the company – also known as S/BAD – named the concert “Still Standing.”

Each of the dances told a story related to the message about the history of blacks in the United States. Although the aesthetic type is “black concert dance,” jazz, contemporary, and modern contemporary are some of the styles Goodrich said is featured and incorporated in the concert. Some of the pieces also use theater and poetry to convey this message.

Goodrich said she and the other performers wanted to show the “struggles, emotions and physical strength” their past generations had to go through.

Assistant Director and President of S/BAD Nzinga Woods, a graduate student who is also Goodrich’s former student, explained some of the specific examples that were important to her.

“It’s about the journey from the Middle Passage to the Civil Rights Movement to the first black president,” Woods said.

Junior nursing major, Jessica Gonzalez attended the show on March 6, and enjoyed what it represented.

“I liked seeing the innovated African choreograph, because it has an underlying theme of power and strength,” Gonzalez said.

The director does not choreograph each piece, but she is in charge of making sure the “shape” of the vision is still what she wants it to be; it hasn’t been too hard for her do so. She described choreographers as artists dedicated to “commenting on the diversity of this style” to the American influence.

Although the concert is held twice a year, Woods believes there is a difference between this display and last fall’s performance, called “New Directions.” In past shows, the inspiration for the dances has been the technique of Katherine Dunham, a dancer and choreographer from the 1940s to 1950s whom Goodrich called the “pioneer of black dance.”

“Now it’s a more modern and more abstract production this year than it has been in the past,” Woods said. She said her piece, “Forgotten Victims,” demonstrated this by using music by modern American composer Steve Reich to tell the story about Africans trapped in the German Holocaust.

Senior liberal studies major Hang Tran agrees: “It’s very inspirational and intense in some places. The one about the Holocaust especially has a strong concept and really great emotions.”

The concert has always invited a number of guest performers to present their talents in the past and this year is no exception. Dawn Robinson, a choreographer from New York City, is performing a piece called “Journey.” The performance tells the story of the women in her family using spoken word and modern dance.

On preparing for the concert, Goodrich called the rehearsals “intense,” with long practice sessions almost every day of the week.

“But the company is known for our energy,” she said. “And we have to make sure we can give them that. So we don’t complain.”

S/BAD started as a personal company by Goodrich 17 years ago, and had its first concert in 1993. What began as a yearly show is now a well-known event performed every semester by this group of dancers. Many of the members saw the company’s concert and asked how they could be involved.

“It’s a wonderful thing,” Woods said. “We have a lot of different people who are a part of the company ? It’s good to get some new blood in once in a while.” She said some that aren’t even dance majors, and take time out of their schedules just for the chance to dance.

Some students believe that it’s important to have events like this to demonstrate diversity.

“For those like me, we want to know where they come from, what our past was like,” said Arlysha Lowe, freshman pre-nursing major.

The main thing Goodrich said she wanted for those who came to the concert,was to feel that they’ve witnessed something meaningful.

“The concert’s a statement about the resilience of African American culture. The company always has some underlying message that we want the audience to see,” Goodrich said.

Kyrie Eberhart can be reached at [email protected]