Audiences will experience a variety of dance styles during West Virginia Universitys Dance Concert at the Metropolitan Theatre in downtown Morgantown Feb. 7-9. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. nightly.
The concert is organized by the Division of Theatre and Dance in the College of Creative Arts at WVU and directed by Heather Ahern, head of the Dance Program.
This is a concert of great diversity,she said.There is something for everyone in this eclectic evening of dance and theater.
Dances will range in style from tap and modern to ballet and movement theater, with music ranging from 15th century Italian to The Doors, to Michael Bubles cover of Van Morrisons famous albumMoondance.
The concert will also feature dances by faculty members Carole Wiedebusch, Jessica Bishop and Ahern, as well as guest choreographers Jenny Rocha, of Rocha Dance Theatre in New York City, and Renee Nicholson, a WVU student studying for a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing.
Additional student choreography is by Cate Bennett, Aislinn Crovak, Stephanie DeBolt, Mary Krosnjar, Kara Lawson, Jessica Martin, Daphne Pringle, Rachel Romero, Kira Sedlock and Sarah Stevens.
A featured work in the concert isBeauty Operator,a dance theater work created by New York choreographer Jenny Rocha.
Rocha and her dance associate, Christine Poland, were in residence at WVU during October 2007. During their stay, they taught numerous classes at the Division of Theatre and Dance and set a dance on nine students studying for a minor in dance.
Beauty Operatoris a humorous investigation of the quest for perfection and the lengths that some women go through to look fabulous. Set in a 1950s era beauty parlor, the dance features an innocent client skillfully portrayed by Emily Shaffer, who is also a theater major at WVU .
Another featured performer is Cate Bennett as the warped and twisted beauty operator/mad scientist. Part Dr. Frankenstein and part Madge from the Palmolive dishwashing liquid commercials of years past, Bennett exudes a feverish enthusiasm in her desire to create the perfect woman.
A Greek chorus of supporting beauticiansportrayed by Rachel Haring, Liz Convey, Sarah Stevens, Rachel Romero, Lauren Hanahan, Holly Downs and Heidi MilnereferencesThe Stepford Wivesin its quirky, gestural dances, performed in perfect unison.
WVU student dancers performing in the concert are Cate Bennett, Hope Calhoun, Caitlin Caskey, Emily Caudill, Elizabeth Convey, Aislinn Crovak, Stephanie DeBolt, Lindsay Dilworth, Holly Downs, Bethany Fisher, Kyrsten Green, Lauren Hanahan, Samantha Hanna, Rachel Haring, Lindsay Kenders, Karissa Knobbe, Mary Krosnjar, Kara Lawson, Elizabeth Lewellen, Ann-Marie Marnell, Heidi Milne, Rhea May, Tiffany Mancuso, Jessica Martin, Sara Milam, Melissa Moraes, Corey Nielsen, Megan Otte, Andrea Rogers, Rachel Romero, Natalie Rossomondo, Jennifer Schammel, Kira Sedlock, Emily Shaffer, Sarah Shanholtzer, Sarah Stevens and Shana Switzer.
Ahern is originally from Providence, R.I., where she co-directed, toured, performed and taught with the critically acclaimed Groundwerx Dance Theatre for 15 years. She is a past recipient of an Artist Project Grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts for the creation of a one-woman dance/play,Amazons, Goddesses and Others.She also received a Cirino Fellowship Award for three consecutive years from the Rhode Island Foundation.
In addition to the creation of modern dance choreography, Ahern has enjoyed working as a movement consultant and choreographer for Perishable Theatre and Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence.
As a teacher and guest artist, she has both taught and choreographed work for a variety of groups at colleges, universities and other educational institutions in Arizona, Alaska, California and New England. She earned a Master of Fine Art in dance and graduated with honors from California State University in Long Beach.
For concert tickets, call 304-293-SHOW (7469) or visit the WVU Mountainlair or Creative Arts Center box offices. Tickets are $15 for the general public; $12 for WVU faculty, staff and senior citizens; and $10 for students or $10 per person (groups of 20 or more). Tickets are also available through all Ticketmaster outlets.