Student choreographers present work in 'Breaking the Ice'

Bates News — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:36:44 +0000

Student choreographers will put their work to the test of public performance in Bates College Modern Dance Company concerts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 28; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30; and 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 31.

The company has assembled two distinct programs, collectively titled Breaking the Ice, and will perform each of them twice. The four performances take place in Schaeffer Theatre, 305 College St. Admission is $6 for the general public and $3 for members of organized groups, seniors, non-Bates students and Bates faculty and staff.

The programs showcase not only the quality of Bates dance but the collaborative nature of creative work at the college. Students, including members of the course “Computers, Music and the Arts,” composed music for certain dances, and other students played important roles in costume and lighting design.

The two programs represent all stages of student choreography. Six students in a dance composition course make their choreographic debuts, while two others offer works — both including video components — created for their senior thesis projects. One of those projects is an excerpt from a longer site-specific piece that will be premiered at full length in May.

Other students choreographed work specifically for these concerts. Carol Dilley, assistant professor of dance and director of the Bates dance program, also contributed a piece to the program.

Friday’s performance coincides with the Mount David Summit, a showcase of student academic achievement at Bates.

Student choreographers, lighting designers collaborate for dance concerts

Bates News — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:14:33 +0000

Performing two separate programs twice, the Bates College Modern Dance Company presents the results of an innovative collaboration with theatrical lighting designers at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 30-31; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 1; and 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 2.

Program A is offered on Friday and Sunday, and Program B on Saturday and Monday. Performances take place in Schaeffer Theatre, 305 College St. Admission is $6 for the general public and $3 for non-Bates students, senior citizens, and Bates faculty and staff.

For more information, please call 207-786-6161.Thirty-two dancers and choreographers will take part in the two programs, and three of the dances will be accompanied by music performed or composed by Bates students.

Aptly titled Novel, the overall project comprises 12 pieces. The choreographers are students in the course “Dance Composition,” taught by Sarah McCormick, acting director of the dance program. They collaborated with students in the course “Lighting Design: The Aesthetics of Light,” as well as with the course’s instructor, Michael Reidy.

“Michael and I just put our students together and they sat on the floor talking away,” says McCormick. “The assignment for each choreographer entailed choosing a piece of literature — hence Novel for the concert title. And this engaged the lighting designers to consider a myriad of lighting images, colors, stage designs and so on.”

She added, “Choreography might be defined as creating or designing movement in space, but the full exploration of lighting, costuming and how the dancers interpret the movement is what makes dance an exciting and thrilling art form.”

To see all events open to the public at Bates this month, visit the online Public Events Calendar.

News » student choreography

Student choreographers present work in 'Breaking the Ice'

Student choreographers, lighting designers collaborate for dance concerts