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World class dance troupe makes debut at Rose-Hulman

Guest Writer

In the past week, Rose-Hulman’s staff and students have found much enjoyment with the arrival of the Los Angeles based, one-of-a-kind acrobatics troupe, Diavolo. Diavolo’s arrival on campus marked the beginning of the 2007-2008 Performing Arts Series. Not only this, but Diavolo happened to be one of the largest events in recent history for Rose-Hulman, bringing in not only hundreds of students but many residents of the Wabash Valley to see a world-renowned performance such as that of Diavolo.

Performing for the first time at Rose-Hulman, Diavolo entertained and educated during a two-day residency. The residency culminated in a sold-out performance Tuesday evening. For more, see the review in Entertainment (page 4).
Photo: Isaac Sachs
Performing for the first time at Rose-Hulman, Diavolo entertained and educated during a two-day residency. The residency culminated in a sold-out performance Tuesday evening. For more, see the review in Entertainment (page 4).


On Monday Diavolo’s residency began with the construction of their stage and set structures. During this process, Hatfield Hall was opened to students who were allowed to attend and witness the construction of these pieces for their set. Kacie Dowers, a freshman biomedical engineer, commented on how interesting it was to be involved with such unique sets, as there exists only one of each for the troupe to use.

Monday evening’s open rehearsal allowed students to get an idea of what the performers had to go through in order to perform a strenuous show such as Diavolo.

Diavolo provided a matinee during Tuesday afternoon of that night’s main performance for students. The matinee exhibited two of Diavolo’s acts that would be performed that night, “Foreign Bodies” and “Trajectoire.”

Los Angeles-based Diavolo has been in existence since 1992 and has been on tour for eight years, traveling all of the U.S. along with many international locations in Europe. The attraction of Diavolo lies in its uniqueness. Diavolo is known for its interesting combination of acrobatics, interpretive dance, and ballet. Under the direction of Jacques Hiem, these elements are brought together into a team of dancers who are “acting out abstract art” as the director put it.