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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2015)
LIFESTYLES WEEKEND, MARCH 21-22, 2015 1C Staff photo by E.J. Harris Dancers Terika Christensen, Kendyl Thorne, Paige Skinner, Ashleigh Bolling and Charla Simons perform the Rhythmic Mode dance number “Wounded Warrior” during a send-off performance for the state dance competition Monday in Pendleton. Dancers take on gritty subject Rhythmic Mode honors veterans as they head to state competition unexpected turn. Coaches eased them into the concept by walking them to the war The soldier gazed out from the memorial at the Pendleton Pioneer painting, a young Pendleton pilot Chapel and then to Stillman Park, who had died after a rocket-pro- where veterans of several different pelled grenade downed his Chi- wars had gathered at Kishpaugh’s request. One of them was Debbie’s nook helicopter in Afghanistan. A gentle halo rimmed his head. husband, Roesch Kishpaugh, who An angel hovered over his right had served two tours in Vietnam. “They shared with the team shoulder. This likeness of Adrian Stump what they did, what they thought, appeared on a rolling panel used in what they felt,” Kishbaugh said. “It a routine performed by the Pendle- made quite an impression.” “It was cool to hear their stories,” ton High School Rhythmic Mode dance team. During Monday’s said senior dancer Haley Parsons. In later weeks, the dancers showcase performance in the PHS gym, the 28 girls donned sparkly watched “Fury,” “Unbroken” and versions of World War II nurses’ “American Sniper” to marinate in ÀLJKWVXLWVDQGSRUWUD\HGWKHVWDUN the subject before learning their new routine. realities of war After months of through dance, honoring Stump “I don’t usually cry, but honing the per- and others who that routine makes me formance, the left town have served and tear up every single team this week for the VDFUL¿FHG 7KH squad would time. It’s an amazingly state competi- tion in Portland take the routine to the OSAA powerful and beautiful with high-octane hopes and a pas- Dance & Drill performance.” sion for Ameri- state champion- ships in Portland — Ashleah Markle, veteran ca’s veterans. “It became later in the week. The gritty topic of war was really important to the kids,” Kish- something new for the talented paugh said. “I think it surprised seven-time state championship them how much.” Artist Daniel Bluestein, an in- team that routinely favors fantasy over real life. Last year’s routine mate at the Eastern Oregon Cor- featured a haunted house with a rectional Institution, designed the beating heart and motorized spi- rolling prop pieces at Kishpaugh’s ders with glowing red eyes. Before instruction. Each would have two that came “Psycho Circus,” a Tim hinged panels that would allow for Burton-style tale that included a three scenes — on the front, the diabolical ringmaster and dancers back and internally, in a Rubik’s Cube sort of way. on stilts. Along with Stump’s panel, he This year, head coach and cho- reographer Debbie Kishpaugh designed panels that depicted two stunned the team by sticking to other local veterans — Roesch Kishpaugh (shown at age 20) and reality. The 2015 theme, she told them Ashleah Markle, a Pendleton na- at the big reveal this fall, was tive and Army National Guard Wounded Warriors. The dancers soldier who served in Afghanistan seemed slightly disoriented at the with Stump. When the panels are By KATHY ANEY East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris Hannah Schofield pins a hat on Rhythmic Mode dancer Kacey Robbins while the team prepares to dance at a send-off perfor- mance Monday at Pendleton High School. Staff photos by E.J. Harris The Rhythmic Mode dance team lifts the 400-pound custom designed tarp they perform on onto a cart after dancing Monday in Pendleton. The team has 15 minutes to set up, dance and tear down all of their props during their performance at the state dance competition. Rhythmic Mode dancers Maria Knibbs, Kacey Robbins and Allison Savage perform in front of three panels depicting local veterans. The veterans are Ashleah Markle, Adrian Stump and Roesch Kish- paugh. Staff photos by E.J. Harris ÀLSSHG DQG IROGHG D ÀDJ DSSHDUV and later a military funeral. Bluestein built the pieces with about 10 other inmates who con- structed and fabricated what they needed and then painted people and scenes. Bluestein added the halo and angel to Stump’s panel. “I wanted to honor him,” the in- mate said. “It was a big deal to me.” Bluestein and his band of artists and tradesmen won’t get to leave the prison to view the performance, of course. Those who did watch, however, included Markle and Roesch Kishbaugh and Adrian’s sister, Molly Stump. Markle, a 2003 PHS graduate, has watched Rhythmic Mode per- form for years. This particular rou- tine triggered deep emotions. “I don’t usually cry, but that rou- tine makes me tear up every single time,” she said. “It’s an amazing- ly powerful and beautiful perfor- mance.” She planned to watch the state performances via live streaming on her computer. Molly Stump was a Rhythmic Mode dancer the year her brother died. Her fellow dancers, more like sisters really, helped her deal with the trauma of losing Adrian. “That whole year, they were my support group,” she said. Of the routine, she said, “It is very honor- ing. He would love it.” Roesch Kishbaugh said the per- formance pushed his thoughts back to Vietnam. “It pulled at memory strings,” he said. “I thought about the people ZKRVDFUL¿FHGWKHLUOLYHV´ Seeing veterans and other com- munity members react with emo- tion buoyed the team. “It became personal,” said se- nior dancer Katie Scruggs. “We saw the impact of our message. We were proud to call it our own.” Kishpaugh said she feels pride in how her dancers have embraced their message. “I think they’ve enjoyed the journey,” she said. “This is one of RXUPRVWGLI¿FXOWURXWLQHVDQGWKH only one that has value other than entertainment value.” Last year, the team’s string of six straight state titles ended after moving up to the uber-challenging Show category, which involves the additional complexity that comes with set pieces and props. Pendle- ton took fourth. Kishbaugh said her dancers are ready with a polished performance, but doesn’t know how the panel of judges will react. That angel hov- ering over Adrian’s shoulder will affect the dancers, she knows, but not the judges. “No one will see it. It won’t change our score,” she said. “But … it is cool to have a routine that has meaning and purpose.” ——— Contact Kathy Aney at kaney@ eastoregonian.com or call 541- 966-0810.
