Event Performance Week 2020

Jacquelyn Vatash will be doing a real-time musical accompaniment using a customized DJ deck and a pair of launchpads for a 12-minute animated video that'll be projected behind her for all to see. The music will be shifting between EDM, slow piano, and rock as the video goes on. She will also be voicing dialogue of 3 distinct characters during the slow piano section, and there will be a small section of the screen away from the on-screen action where people can see a top-down view of all six of her hands working on the deck.

The video itself is a 2 against 1 sci-fi themed fight choreography between bitter friends with swords, guns and whips.

Diego Vega will be performing various types of street dance (such as pop and lock, breakdance, hip-hop etc.) both on stage and midair while flying to EDM music. There will be leaves, coloured gulal powder, petals, silk scarves and other such decorations on stage, that Diego will make flutter and fly in the air in patterns around him with the wind he creates during the performance. The performance was choreographed and planned by Diego himself.

Sela will be telling a story using nothing but their shape-shifting body and many voices to act as a narrator, different characters, and sound effects.

The story will revolve around three people sharing differing perspectives of one childhood story they've heard: why the ocean is so temperamental.

The first story revolves around the ocean finding unrequited love with a mortal that regularly swims within it, never noticing they are loved by an invisible force, and therefore cannot love the ocean in the way it wants. This story is told through song, reminiscent of a lullaby.

The second story revolves around the ocean sleeping quietly, mostly undisturbed other than the wave here and there, then waking up to see that lands have broken apart, shifted, and had taken parts of the ocean into itself as rivers and lakes, causing it to feel lost and fearful of its new and unfamiliar bed. This story gradually transitions from a quiet and melodic voice into a horrified, near crying one.

The final story revolves around a simple answer: the ocean is an ever-changing and fickle being, eroding rocks during its anger and cheerfully playing tag with children on the shores of beaches. The last story is accompanied by interpretive dance, with Sela using their fluid body to its extremes.

Throughout the story, the three characters will interrupt each other, commenting what parts are familiar and what parts are wrong. At the end, they cannot decide if those three stories are continuations of the other, separate, or retellings. To further the vagueness, Sela doesn't use the same form for the different Oceans while only keeping light similarities.

As a result of Sela's powers, the audience will be put into a daydream-like state where they will feel like they're watching the story from the inside, but it can easily be broken by loud noises, discomfort, or by not paying attention to the story. Sela will warn for this, though they don't know about the side-effect of hearing their stories: after experiencing the story, it will stick to the listener like a memorable dream.

Lebeda Smirnova shall perform an original ballet piece set to an original orchestral score by a native islander.

Lebeda, dressed sparkly silver, long-skirt tutu, will appear under a spotlight on a dark stage. The music begins, first slow and somber to represent the loss of love. Lebeda dances, her movements almost in slow-motion, her expression pained. The song picks up pace, representing the excitement of rebounding. Lebeda introduces exciting leaps and jumps, her expression alive with new love. When she dances it's like the world stops to watch, an ethreal grace to her movements, a callback to her fae origins.

The song transitions to the final act, loud and bombastic and full of confidence. Lebeda ups the dance ante once again and in a remarkable show of endurance ends her dance in a series of spins and leaps and jumps before taking a bow as the music fades into silence. The spotlight cuts and she disappears into darkness.

Jessica Sartore will perform a medley of well-known songs to demonstrate her diverse dancing skills, as well as some singing. The performance will also demonstrate some rapid-fire outfit changes with just the help of a curtain, two stagehands, and so much velcro. No magic used!

All That Jazz (Chicago)
Jessica starts strong with one of her favorite musicals. She's wearing a glittery leotard with a fringe skirt. She even has the stagehands pick her up at one point. She briefly runs behind the curtain as the music transitions.

Mambo No 5. (Lou Bega)
Jessica comes out in a tailored pinstripe suit, hat, and heeled shoes. She shows off her mambo skills. Of course, she winks to the audience at the 'a little bit of Jessica' bit.

Mambo Italiano (Rosemary Clooney, the original)
The stagehands come out, ripping off the sleeves of her jacket to turn it into a vest, while Jessica unbuttons some of the vest's buttons to reveal a bit of cleavage. At the same time, her tear-away pants are ripped away, revealing the fringe skirt she wore before. She ramps up her mambo dancing.

I Kissed a Girl (Katy Perry)
As the song transitions, the stagehands throws a fluffy pink skirt and a glittery pink vest on her to make her outfit more cutesy. Jessica sings this one but changes the lyrics to make it much, much more sapphic.

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
And I don't think I mind it
It felt so wrong It felt so right
I might be in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it!

California Gurls (Katy Perry)
Jessica runs behind the curtain as the music transitions. She runs back out in one of Katy Perry's outfits from the music video: blue wig, cupcake bikini top, glittery blue hot pants. You know the one. She both sings and dances to this one.

Take it off (Kesha)
Jessica tosses her wig off and flips her hair, while the stagehands remove the cupcakes from her top, revealing a black and glittery bikini top. While Jessica was going for 'cute sexy' for the two previous songs, she changes it to something a little more blatant with Kesha's song. With this song, she demonstrates her flexibility and her obvious sex appeal.

This Is Me (The Greatest Showman)
The song transitions and Jessica focuses on showing off her singing in this one. But first, she quickly runs behind the curtain, then comes back in a pink dress with a long skirt.

Popular (Wicked)
As This Is Me is about to end, Jessica rips the skirt off of her dress--revealing a short, fluffy crinoline. Basically, the exact outfit worn in the stage play. Jessica sings and dances to the song, while demonstrating her big personality and acting skills as well. One stagehand remains onstage to stand in as Elphaba.

Hot Honey Rag (Chicago: The Musical)
Jessica ends as she started: with Chicago! She throws her shoes off, and her stagehands swiftly put her tap shoes on. Her pink dress is ripped off, revealing the outfit she wore during the first Chicago performance. She ends on her tap dancing skills.

Hikaru will be performing two songs onstage like last time, with the addition of some voice-acted monologues. This time his performance focuses more on his acting skills, with illusions being used to tell the story during the monologues and with special effects - once more using his illusions - during the songs to give him backup dancers and accompany him. On a screen, if there is one, will be a simple slide shows with various backgrounds showing the English translations of the monologues and song lyrics. He performs in Japanese for the first two monologues and songs before switching to English for the final monologue and song.

1st monologue - "First Love"
[It was Summer. The day of the festival. You stood there in the audience, listening to my song; swaying to the beat, entranced. I wanted you to take me with you - to let me feel the music the way you did. To see the world the way you did. I reached out, and you were just as amazing as you seemed. Your hands were warm, your smile bright. Your jokes made me laugh and our conversations filled me up in a way nothing else could. Before I realised... I fell in love."

1st song: Chiisana koi no uta by Mongol800
Reference (covered by Amatsuki)

2nd monologue - "First heartbreak"
[Autumn. I wished on a star that I'd have the courage to confess, tying my dream to the bamboo tree as I prayed with all my might that my feelings might reach you. But I saw it. Your lips touching his, fingers intertwining, gaze melting into one; the perfect match you made together.

Each boom of the fireworks was the sound of my heart being exploded into a thousand pieces, dust raining down with each explosion like shrapnel tearing me apart.]

2nd song: Shitsuren Repeater by Takanon
Reference (Covered by Sana)

3rd monologue - "Aftertaste"
[But it's okay now. I'll always remember the days we spent together, even if our love wasn't meant to be. I'll always be grateful that you let me feel the warmth of happiness; the itchy feeling of jealousy; the sharp pang of heartbreak. I'm stronger now, and I'll always remember you.

Thank you...]

3rd and final song: "When First Love Ends" by Ryo (Supercell)
Reference (covered by Rachie)