As They Rise

photo by A. Pierce Bounds '71

Photo by A. Pierce Bounds '71

Dance Theatre Group concert showcases meaningful movement, text and light

by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

The Dance Theatre Group (DTG) premieres nine student-choreographed works during its 2015 spring Freshworks concert.

Lizzie Lucas ’15 (theatre arts, psychology), Krysten Peck ’15 (French), Noam Wegner ’15 (theatre arts) and Helena Gaubiz (an overseas assistant from Germany) combine dance with the spoken word in "As We Rise," a work they created in Professor of Theatre Karen Kirkham’s Movement and Text class.

Katie Roy ’15 (physics, mathematics), Alyssa Giordano ’17 (theatre arts), Faith Wilwerding ’16 (theatre arts), Anastasia Putri ’16 (theatre arts, anthropology), Leigh Tracey ’17 (undeclared), Christine Merolla ’17 (neuroscience), Courtney Meyer ’15 (theatre arts) and Graye Robinson ’15 (environmental science) present individually choreographed pieces developed in Director of Dance Sarah Skaggs’ Applied Choreography course, with lighting design crafted by students of Jay Ryan, visiting assistant professor of theatre & dance.

According to Skaggs, the students were asked to treat the choreographic process as a means of critical thinking and exploration, informed by the work of contemporary visual artists. “Drawing from artists such as Barbara Kruger, Maya Lin, Mark Bradford, Bruce Nauman and Vanessa Beecroft, choreography students enter into and use interdisciplinary methods to investigate—in three dimensions—issues surrounding beauty, sexual assault, nature, guilt, trust, greed and addiction,” she explains.

Freshworks is presented Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25, at 8 p.m., as well as Sunday, April 26, at 2 p.m. All shows are in Mathers Theatre (Holland Union Building). Regular admission is $7; student admission is $5 with ID. Purchase online or at the HUB box office.

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Published April 23, 2015