{"id":14423,"date":"2022-11-30T16:37:35","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T22:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/?p=14423"},"modified":"2022-11-30T16:39:45","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T22:39:45","slug":"dance-science-students-present-capstone-projects-in-two-performances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/news\/2022\/11\/30\/dance-science-students-present-capstone-projects-in-two-performances\/","title":{"rendered":"Dance science students present capstone projects in two performances"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
What the audience will see in two upcoming dance performances will only scratch the surface of the work that students in the School of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts<\/a> put into them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond the choreography and the physical performance, six students in the Composition III course co-produced and took on all other related duties, including lighting, training a crew, selecting music and designing and making the costumes. It\u2019s the final capstone project for the advanced-level choreography students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey are making these works from scratch,\u201d said Jennifer Petuch, instructional assistant professor of dance. \u201cA completely student-produced concert, which is a lot for undergrads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Terra Fiedler, Eliza Milner and Maddie Calvez present \u201cThe Edge of Movement\u201d<\/a> Dec. 4 at 2 p.m., and Grace Haus, Marielle Schneider and Brenna Street present \u201cIn the Midst\u201d<\/a> at 6 p.m. Both performances are in Room 207 in the Physical Education Activity Program Building. Admission is $5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The students learn about matters beyond the stage in production classes, according to Ben Howard, instructional assistant professor, including set design and creating marketing materials for the shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a student has struggled with a task, another has stepped up to help, the students said. Street, for example, said she hates sewing. But Haus enjoys it, calling it her strong suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe complement each other well and have been able to help each other,\u201d Street said. \u201cThat makes it feel less like a one-man band. There\u2019s been a lot of good collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The all-encompassing approach has long-term benefits for the students, Petuch said. Many go on to become high school dance teachers and need that wide array of experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey are able to know how to do lighting plots, how to operate a light board, how to operate a sound board, how to produce costumes, work with costume people, and then of course choreograph and work with a group and direct,\u201d she said. \u201cThey know the roles of everyone in a theater.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Petuch serves as a mentor throughout the process \u201cin case something goes haywire,\u201d she said. A recent technical rehearsal revealed adjustments the students had to make, which is all part of the process, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is a place to be able to make mistakes, to be able to grow and learn because it\u2019s a safe environment,\u201d she said. \u201cYou pioneer, you investigate, you figure things out and you live and you learn. They definitely did things that didn\u2019t work and things that worked. It\u2019s better to do that in a place where your job\u2019s not at stake, to make mistakes now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n