February 15, 2008
For Immediate Release
For an Interview:
Amy Markgraf-Jacobson
(801) 863-6394
The UVSC Dance Department presents Synergy Dance Company’s spring concert, “Refract” March 6-8 in the Ragan Theater at 7:30 p.m.
“Refract” is a dance exploration into how movement can progress on a straight forward path but also possesses possibilities to be tangential and “refract” off to change perspectives and points of view. Choreography includes works from professional guest artists such as Heidi Henderson. Henderson, from Connecticut, brings with her a sense of quirky length and extension in an exploration of stopping and re-beginning time in her piece, “The Depth of Waiting.”
From California, Nicole Bridgens creates a humorous duet of body language and misconnections in her piece, “Umm…So…yeah.” Synergy’s artistic co-director Amy Markgraf-Jacobson created a wave of high physicality and kinetic exuberance in her piece, “Shift.” Artistic co-director Kate Monson’s choreography ponders on her physical responses to the experiences that her brother has related to her as he continues his active duty in Iraq, trying to make sense of the chaos and structure that he lives in each day. The concert will also feature student choreography from company members as they showcase their multifaceted abilities as artists.
Synergy will also include a performance of the sentinel modern dance piece, “A Dance for Walt Whitman,” choreographed by modern dance pioneer Helen Tamiris in 1958 and set on UVSC’s Department of Dance students from Ballet, Modern, Dance Education and Ballroom programs as part of the NEA’s American Masterpieces: Dance College Component program. This grant was awarded to dance department faculty members Angela Banchero-Kelleher, Nichole Ortega and Kim Strunk. Various student choreographed works by Synergy company members will also be included.
Original cast member and Executive Artistic Director of Repertory Dance Theatre, Linda C. Smith, worked intensely with dancers to re-stage “Dance for Walt Whitman” with permission from the Dance Notation Bureau. The cast of 27 includes two young dancers from BYU’s Children’s Dance Program, as well as guest dancers from the community. Larry Harper, professor of English & Literature will narrate. The music is an original score by noted composer David Diamond.
Tickets for the general public are $10, students and faculty, $8. Tickets are available at Campus Connection, at (801) 863-8797.
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College Marketing Contact:
Megan Laurie
(801) 863-7149