February 28, 2008
Students choreograph upcoming dance concert
The UW Dance Program presents its annual showcase of new work by undergraduate students March 6–9 in the Meany Studio Theater. The concert features not only the diversity of the current student body, but also the diversity that defines dance as a performing art.
Student concerts are unique in that they provide the young choreographers with the dual experiences of performing and creating work in tandem with the various roles involved in putting together a dance concert. The process begins early each school year with open auditions and culminates with the public performances in March. Within the span of about five months, students choreograph their work, audition and rehearse with their dancers, select costumes and music and get the opportunity to work with a professional lighting designer. Along the way, they also learn about marketing, scheduling rehearsals and showings, ticketing and all the other issues involved in presenting work to the public.
This year the dance majors present nine new works by student choreographers who have completed the full series of UW composition coursework. Each piece exhibits unique movements that draw from various creative processes and methods of choreography. Some students employ improvisational settings and schematics to shape their work, while others use rhythm and music. Still others utilize pedestrian movement and artistic collaboration as the springboard for their creations. The concert provides a snapshot of the early work of new and developing choreographers and also highlights the diversity of movement.
The artistic director for the concert is Jurg Koch and the set and lighting designer is Peter Bracilliano. The student choreographers are Callie Arnold, Jennifer Baxter, Laara Garcia, Alice Gosti, Nikia Fenlin, Katrina Hamilton, Kathryn Hightower, Anh Nguyen and Oddessa Whitman.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. General admission tickets are $14, $12 for UW faculty, staff and alumni association members and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the UW Arts Ticket office, 4001 University Way NE, by calling 206-543-4880 or online at www.meany.org.
