Dance Students And Faculty Showcase Choreography In Annual ‘Perpetual Motion’ Concert
The Dance Science program will present its 16th annual “Perpetual Motion” showcase Feb. 22-24 at the Dance Black Box Theater, Room 207, in the Physical Education Activity Program Building.
The concert will include 12 works choreographed by students and faculty. The shows are at 7 p.m., with an additional show Feb. 24 at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $8 for students, available at the MSC Box Office website.
Carisa Armstrong, program director and associate professor, said she is thrilled to present two student works and highlight new faculty works. The program welcomed five new faculty members this school year, all of whom will present at the event: Jessica Boone, John Cartwright, Abby Chin, Elijah Gibson and Vanessa Reiser.
“I am most excited about our new faculty’s work and to see how our dancers adapt to new movement ideas,” Armstrong said. “I think it is really wonderful for our students to be able to work with them and take classes with them. They come with so much knowledge and so many different experiences.”
Two works choreographed and performed by students will be featured: “What Happened to Your Heart,” choreographed by Bailey Zettler and Lenzy Zettler; and “quiet noise,” choreographed by Eliza Milner. Both works were featured in the 2023 Student Choreography Showcase, and will also be performed at the American College Dance Association’s South-Central Conference in March at the University of Texas.
Armstrong and Christine Bergeron, associate dean for academic affairs and clinical professor for the program, will present their choreography in “A Journey of Hope,” which they created alongside composer Richard Hall of Texas State University.
“Our piece is based on immigration, and it is kind of putting a human element to a global issue,” Armstrong said. “We have made sails that will be hanging in the space, and the dancers interact and dance through those sails. The curtains will be pulled back for a very open, less-traditional performance space.”
Diane Bedford, clinical associate professor and section chair for the program, will present a piece of contemporary ballet, performed as a solo student piece. Bedford and Armstrong will present choreography for their duet titled “Intertwined,” also featuring music by Hall, she said. There will be a piece crafted by Bergeron that focuses on intimacy and vulnerability. The show’s closing piece by Cartwright will involve confetti, Armstrong said.
“Perpetual Motion” is produced by students in a course led by Jam Martinez, stage manager for the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts. This behind-the-scenes work is essential to presenting a successful event, Armstrong said.
“We try to incorporate the students not only dancing, but also working the show,” she said. “We believe very much in hands-on education, and there is no way better to get it than just get back there and do the work.”
Watching the event come together is gratifying, Armstrong said, with students learning both the movement and production sides. The experience helps prepare them for possibilities beyond graduation, she said.
“For many of our students, they are going to become high school educators, or they will be responsible for putting on their own shows,” she said. “This experience allows them the ability to understand what all the moving pieces are for backstage, and what has to happen to make it a successful show. Many of them have come back to us and said they have been so grateful for the experience.”
Photos by Igor Kraguljac Photography.
