Dance Break - Department of Dance - Wayne State University

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Chair’s Riff Volume 1, Issue 1 of dancebreak! It gives me great pleasure to bring you the first issue of the Maggie Allesee Department of Dance newsletter and to welcome you to all that’s dance at Wayne State. In this first issue we’ll catch you up on recent department happenings and give you a glimpse of exciting performances, programs and initiatives planned for 2004- 05. Each dancebreak issue will present regular features of interest to our alumni, friends, supporters, and colleagues across the US. In this inaugural issue, our Solo column lets you get to know senior dance major, Elaine Sledge. Our danceBreak-ing News brings you important updates on faculty, guest artist, student and alumni news. In the Wings updates readers on the upcoming performance season, touring, and other events. We’d also like to hear from you! Please send us your comments and important news to dance@wayne.edu with dancebreak in the subject line. Visit our website at www.dance.wayne.edu where you can also read dancebreak online. Doug Risner, Ph.D. Kennedy Center (continued from page 1) DVD GIFT FOR 75th FUND DONATION One of the most exciting highlights of the 75th Annual Spring Dance Concert last March was the opening film retrospective tribute to dance at WSU. The nine-minute piece, entitled: All the Dances Danced: A Retrospective, chronicles over seven decades of continuous excellence in dance performance, as well as important Arts Achievement recipients in Dance from 1976 to 2004, and a special tribute to Maggie Allesee for her generous gifts to the department. The dynamic and moving presentation illustrates the remarkable legacy of the WSU dance program and at the same time illuminates new and exciting possibilities for the department on both a national and international level. The remarkable accomplishments of what started as the Dance Club of Detroit Teachers College and the Dance Workshop founded by Ruth Lovell Murray in 1928, are featured in four themes in the retrospective. “Vision” pays tribute to the many significant individuals in dance whose leadership, pioneering spirit, and advocacy have played a vitally important role in our department’s progress. “Passion” honors the generous support of longtime supporter, volunteer and friend of WSU and dance, Maggie Allesee. “Legacy” presents the dance department’s history in a breathtaking assemblage of still images and stirring video segments. The retrospective brings viewers full circle to the present excitement in the department with its rousing finale, “Promise.” This 75-year tribute, as many audience members remarked, was one of the most poignant tributes ever seen at Wayne State, capturing the essence of dance, community, and the overarching mission of the College of Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts. The film, now available in VHS or DVD format, is available as a complimentary gift to those who make a gift of $125 to the 75th Anniversary Fund. This fund, established to commemorate the department’s outstanding achievements, makes it possible to enhance departmental dance scholarships and to produce publications, such as dancebreak. Donors to the 75th Anniversary Fund will also receive a copy of the Diamond Celebration Souvenir Program. We hope that you’ll consider donating to the 75th Anniversary Fund and enjoy your own individual copy of 75 years of dance at Wayne State University. db Robillard, Assistant Vice President, WSU’s Office of Federal Affairs. Students visited with members of the Michigan congressional delegation and toured the Capitol. Before leaving, the students were treated by office visits with Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and Detroit Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, both of whom were presented with a commemorative poster of WSU’s third consecutive national honors at the Kennedy Center. “For this, our third ACDFA trip to Washington, DC, I felt that the dance department’s exceptional accomplishments, especially the outstanding talents and efforts of our students, needed to be a very special trip. We wanted to plan the kind of trip they will always remember when they leave Wayne State,” Risner said. “Having the hard work pay off and being chosen to perform at the National ACDFA Gala is such an honor I will remember forever,” sophomore Jennifer Oller noted. Although the students were on very tight schedules throughout the week, free time for sightseeing and tours allowed the dancers to take in other Washington attractions and landmarks. Junior Katie Bonbrisco said of the trip, “It was a great cultural experience to be in the nation's capital with students from universities from all over who share our same ambitions and goals.” db WSU Dancers at the Capitol: Sophia Martinez, Hannah Risner, Elaine Sledge, Della Hamby, Lindsey Hinderliter, Shara Thompson, Melissa Nemeth, Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, Katie Bonbrisco, Sharissa Thompson, Jennifer Oller, Starkesha Brown, and WSU Dance Company Director, Kelly Gottesman. Dean Vasquez Goes to Washington, too Newly appointed CFPCA Dean Sharon Vasquez joined the WSU Dance Company celebration and performance at the Kennedy Center. Dean Vasquez comes to Wayne State from the State University of New York-Brockport, where she was Dean of Arts & Performance. The Dance Department is delighted to have this professor of dance as the College’s new academic leader. She began her career as a dancer and choreographer and received a Fulbright grant to teach in Peru. Vasquez holds an M.F.A. in Dance from Florida State University. db Dean Sharon Vasquez, Doug Risner, and Maggie Allesee at the Watergate Hotel reception following the 11th Annual National College Dance Festival Gala Concert. 2 dancebreak
In the Wings: Maggie Allesee Studio Series In the Wings is a regular dancebreak column that features upcoming performances and events in the dance department. For 2004- 05, we’re pleased to announce the inaugural season of the Maggie Allesee Studio Series (MASS), a five concert series of outstanding dance performances from September through April, featuring the best of contemporary dance in the Detroit metropolitan area. We hope you will join us for this exciting dance concert series. The season kicks off with the Faculty & Friends Concert, September 18-19 (Saturday-Sunday) featuring works and performances by faculty, guests, and professional dance artists. In December, the Fall Departmental Concert, December 3–5 (Friday – Sunday) features important new faculty and student work, as well as repertory works of the WSU Dance Company. Dance technology and innovation take center stage in the Telematics Concert, January 22-23 (Saturday - Sunday) with interdisciplinary performance art works directed by WSU faculty member, Kelly Gottesman with virtual artists and guests from across the nation and globe. The first annual WSU Dance Umbrella will be presented February 10–13 (Thursday – Sunday) featuring outstanding new works commissioned especially for this concert series by premiere Detroit professional dance companies, community dance groups in the metro area, as well as outstanding high school dance companies. The WSU Dance Umbrella, directed by Barbara Selinger, Founder & Artistic Director of the Detroit Dance Collective, and dance chair, Doug Risner, seeks to further enhance WSU’s long tradition and commitment to the development of dance in the Detroit metropolitan community. The Maggie Allesee Studio Series concludes its 2004-05 season with the Emerging Choreographers: Senior Capstone Concert, April 23-24 (Saturday – Sunday) showcasing exemplary BFA & BS degree candidates’ choreographic work. This concert features the best in new choreographic approaches from the brightest of young dance artists and performers. As part of this inaugural season, the department also unveils its DancePass season ticket option, which includes the entire Maggie Allesee Studio Series, as well as our annual performance events, ONSTAGE! Dance Performances for Children in November and the 76th Annual Spring Dance Gala in March at the Bonstelle Theatre. All seven concerts, plus pre- and post-performance special events, are available for the $100 DancePass. Order yours today at dance@wayne. edu or phone 313.577.9333 for the best in Detroit contemporary dance. db s p o t l i g h t db Solo In this issue’s Solo spotlight, we feature native Detroiter Senior Elaine Sledge who says “dance has always been my first love.” Graduating in the top ten of her Northern High School class, Elaine was active in math & science fairs, concert choir, debate club, and of course the high school dance company. Prior to majoring in dance at WSU, Elaine studied at Marygrove College, Center for Creative Studies, and Ballet Renaissance. As a freshmen, she was awarded a four-year Talent Scholarship from the Dance Department. During the past four years, Elaine’s hard work and dedication to dance have also been recognized with the Barbara Rochlin-Fenkell Scholarship, Karen Ruth Lacoff Memorial Endowed Scholarship, and Ruth Lovell Murray Endowed Scholarship. Elaine cites guest artists as one of the most significant parts of her dance training at Wayne. She has been fortunate to work with many internationally renowned choreographers while here, “One of my favorites was Edward Franklin and his dance Spiritual Decree. Edward encouraged me to stretch myself beyond basic technique. He pushed me to strive for more and then even more.” In June 2004, Elaine made her second trip to National ACDFA and the Kennedy Center with the WSU Dance Company’s performance of “HairStories” by Urban Bush Women’s Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. She had previously performed in Washington DC at the 2002 National Festival. She noted that “performing at the Kennedy Center is such a great honor. I salute the Maggie Allesee Department of Dance for providing this opportunity to students.” After graduating in December 2004, Elaine plans to audition for as many dance companies as possible. Doug Risner, Chair of Dance notes that “Elaine has been a very strong leader in the dance department; she works diligently at her technique and performance skills. She has always represented WSU with professionalism and great energy.” db Stephen Stone, BFA, MFA, joins the department’s fulltime faculty for 2004-05 as Lecturer & Director of Ballet. Stone comes to WSU from Western Kentucky University and will be teaching all levels of ballet, jazz, tap, production, history, and repertory. Stephen recently choreographed the world premiere musical drama, Johnny Appleseed. Performances continue through September 5 at the Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center in Mifflin, Ohio http://www.jahci. org. During the summer, he also taught master classes at the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association (SERBA), and at Berks Ballet Theatre in Redding, PA; Stephen also performed in Cirque Mythodyssey with Sandhills Ballet Theatre in Southern Pines, NC. At WSU, Stephen will co-direct the WSU Dance Company, as well as assume faculty directorship of the department’s annual American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive. Welcome Stephen! Nicola Conraths-Lange, BA, MA, joins the department adjunct faculty for 2004-05 and will be teaching ballet and modern technique, as well as our Pilates mat classes. Nicola (Niki) is currently completing her doctorate at Brunel University, Department of Performing Arts, London, UK. Her dissertation: Logokinesis: Mind-Body Strategies for Dance Pedagogy, applies neurolinguistic programming concepts by employing multisensory channels of communication that have been neglected in traditional pedagogy. Her latest book, "Survival Skills for Pilates Teachers: Thriving in the Mind-Body Fitness World (2004), from Logokinesis Publishing Company, Ann Arbor, MI is available at www.logokinesis.com. A big welcome to Niki! Senior Shara Thompson and Doug Risner, Chair, were awarded a McNair Scholars research project grant for Summer 2004, entitled HIV/AIDS in Dance Education: Identifying Key Components of a Dance Education Curriculum Guide. This pilot project will culminate in an on-campus presentation and a co-authored publication in the Journal of Dance Education (JODE). Upon completion of this project, Risner and Thompson hope to secure additional funding to create an HIV/AIDS curriculum guide for dance educators in higher education. Eva Powers, Associate Professor, was an invited guest teacher and presenter at the Erasmus Intensive Programme: Dance Extensions for Universities 3rd Session in Lisbon, Portugal, June 3 - 12, 2004. Eva taught a series of Pilates masterclasses and workshops. Megan Brunke (B.S. ’04) attended the Contemplative Dance Workshop at Hampshire College, June 20- dancebreak-ing News 25 in Amherst, MA led by Daphne Lowell and Alton Wasson. Contemplative Dance, also known as Authentic Movement, is a simple yet profound practice of movement meditation that is extremely valuable as a spiritual practice, artistic resource, or psychological narrative. The program offers introductory workshops, Week I, Week II, Year-Long Program I and Year-Long Program II workshops in this practice. For more information, visit their website at www.contemplativedance.org Allesee Artists-in-Residence for 2004-05 will include the Jan Van Dyke Dance Group and Art Bridgman & Myrna Packer. In addition to masterclasses and lecture demonstrations, Van Dyke will stage her repertory work, Round Dance, originally commissioned by the Laban Centre in London, on WSU dancers in January 2005; Bridgman & Packer have been commissioned to create a new work especially for the WSU Dance Company in October 2004. Kimberli Boyd, Adjunct faculty, led workshops for teachers and students as part of Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion program for two weeks in June in Lee, MA. The 2004 Arts Achievement Award in Dance will be awarded to Sharon Unrau (M.Ed. ’82) on September 30. Unrau is widely known for her two decades work in children’s dance and her important contributions to dance and gifted education for younger populations. For more information about the 2004 Arts Achievement Awards, please visit www.cfpca.wayne.edu. The WSU Saturday Dance Lab (SDL) continues to develop its programming for children and their families in a non-competitive dance environment. With a focus on family-friendly offerings and scheduling, SDL now offers intergenerational classes including African Dance for Teens & Adults; plans are also underway for a Parent/Guardian & Toddlers class. Fall classes begin September 17. Registration information and class schedule are available at www.dance.wayne.edu. For further information, contact dancelab@wayne.edu. Copperfoot Awards for 2004 were awarded on May 5 at the Bonstelle Theatre to junior Sharissa Thompson, for her choreography of I Never Would Have Thought…; to sophomore Samantha Drouillard for Feet, Feet, Feet; and to Doug Risner for his choreography in Walk On By. Please send us your news items and important events at dance@wayne.edu with dancebreak in the subject line. db dancebreak 3
Page 1: the DVD Gift for 75th Fund 2Donatio

Dance Break - Department of Dance - Wayne State University

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?