Shining a Light on Dance

DTG dance recital

Photo by A. Pierce Bounds '71

Student choreographers, dancers present spring concert

By MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

Dickinson’s 2022 Dance Theatre Group (DTG) spring dance concert spotlights the vision, passions and creativity of four student choreographers—and showcases the talents of the student dancers who bring their original works to life. There’s also a guest performance by members of the college’s hip-hop dance group, Hypnotic.

“It’s not something anyone on campus will want to miss,” says Brianna Weber ’24 (American studies, dance). “The show is full of exciting movement, lighting and costumes, all designed by students in the theatre & dance department.”

Freshworks: An Evening of Student Choreography, will be staged in Mathers Theatre April 29 and 30 at 7:30 and May 1 at 2 p.m., under direction of Sarah Skaggs, director of the dance program, and Erin Crawley-Woods, assistant director of dance. Admission is free.

The spring Freshworks concert is the second of two DTG concerts during the academic year. Every fall, DTG performs works by guest-choreographers and, often, Dickinson dance faculty members. In the spring, DTG performs works created by students studying advanced choreography. True to Dickinson’s liberal-arts tradition, the students are encouraged to interweave what they are learning in a variety of classes into their work.

This year’s choreography includes a meditation on constellations, an exploration of origami and the pursuit of perfection and five key moments in nearly every college student’s life: deciding to leave home, saying goodbye, leaving, exploring a new place and finding a new sense of home.

“I have absolutely loved every moment of choreographing a piece for the show this semester,” says Mackenzie Brielman ’23 (psychology, dance), whose choreography centers on the ideas of leaving home and reestablishing a sense of home.

“It is such an encouraging experience,” adds Weber, whose piece explores the politics and lived experiences of disability and is set to a sound score based on Shrine Tooth’s song “Forest Swords.” “Being in DTG is like having a big family on campus full of genuine love and support.”

View more photos on Dickinson's Facebook pageReserve your ticket online. View the theatre & dance Season at a Glance page, learn about more upcoming arts events via the Calendar of Arts and learn more about the arts at Dickinson.

TAKE THE NEXT STEPS 

Published April 25, 2022