Yoav Kaddar, who joined the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts faculty last fall as the new director of dance, will present the program’s first formal concert under his direction at the Creative Arts Center, Feb. 3-5.

Titled “What’s the Word?” the concert will feature WVU students and dance faculty in a diverse program that highlights their talents, both as dancers and as choreographers.

There will be three performances in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre at the Creative Arts Center—Thursday and Friday, Feb. 3-4, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m.

Dr. Kaddar is a graduate of the Juillard School, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and received the Martha Hill Award for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Dance. His Master of Fine Arts degree is from the University of Washington, Seattle, and his doctorate is from the State University of New York, Albany.

He has performed nationally and internationally as a guest artist and has been a member of such modern dance companies as the Jose Limon Dance Company, the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Peter Pucci Plus Dancers and Jacob’s Pillow’s Men Dancers. He has also danced with numerous independent New York City choreographers and has choreographed more than 50 works for dance and theater.

“I would like to put WVU on the map as a dance center for the state and for the region,” he said.

A special guest will be Kaddar’s wife, Maureen Mansfield-Kaddar, who began her dance training and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Adelphi University in New York under the direction of Norman Walker. In addition to being a member of Peter Pucci Plus Dancers, she has performed with the companies of Rebecca Kelly, Gail Gilbert, Rebecca Stenn and Paul D. Mosley, among others.

In 1995, together with Yoav Kaddar, she created DoubleDance, a performance and educational duet company that toured nationally and internationally. As a member of Paul Taylor Dance Company from 1997-2002, she performed his great works around the world. She can also be seen in the Emmy Award-nominated documentary, “Dancemaker,” a film about Paul Taylor.

As part of activities surrounding the Dance Concert, Maureen Mansfield-Kaddar will teach a master class Saturday, Feb. 5, at the E. Moore Hall Dance Studio. This class is open to the public, but prior experience in dance is required. The cost is $10 to take the class, or $5 to observe the class. For more information, call the Dance Program office at 304-293-8623.

A variety of dances will be featured in the concert, including the following:

“Quiet Heart,” choreographed by dance faculty member Renee Nicholson, was inspired by and includes the poem of the same title by WVU English professor James Harms. It features the songs “Eulogy for Evolution,” “The Last Bird” and also “Movement for String Orchestra” by Philip Glass.

Student Sara Milam, a senior majoring in multidisciplinary studies, choreographed a work to the music “Almost Lover” sung by Juliana Richer Daily.

“Dancin’ In The Dark – A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen,” with music by Springsteen, is choreographed by dance faculty member Barbara Yurick, who is also a founding member of the West Virginia Dance Company.

Student John Perry, a junior majoring in Theatre, choreographed and is the dancer in “The Quite Side of Me,” set to “Apologize for Piano” by Tiano Cruz.

“Patrick Bateman” is choreographed by student Kyle Hayes, a senior majoring in advertising. This piece, set to the music “Scissor” was inspired by the novel “American Psycho,” written by Brett Easton Ellis.

“Beautiful Day” is choreographed by student Emily Henderson, a senior majoring in multidisciplinary studies, and is set to the song “Beautiful Day” by Vitamin String Quartet.

Yoav Kaddar is the choreographer of the work “Standing Tall,” set to “Air on a G String” by J. S. Bach and from a poem on the back of a memorial program in New York City in the fall of 2001. The author is unknown. The piece was choreographed 10 years ago, in the wake of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and dedicated in memory of those who perished that day and to the heroes who sacrificed their lives to save them.

Yoav and Maureen Mansfield-Kaddar will dance to the work “Six Romanian Dances,” choreographed by Rebecca Stenn, with the music “Six Romanian Dances” by Bela Bartok. Stenn is a dancer, choreographer, writer and teacher who formed the Rebecca Stenn Company in New York in 1996. The company has since performed to critical and popular acclaim nationally and internationally. Rebecca’s love for collaborations with live music comes from her years at the Interlochen Arts Academy and later the Juilliard School. She is known for her breathtaking choreography.

“The eye of a little god, four-cornered” is choreographed by student Lindsay Kenders, a senior majoring in Public Relations, and features music by Kevin Macleod. It was inspired by a line from the Sylvia Plath poem “Mirror.”

Technical Director of the dance concert is Steven Neuenschwander of the Theatre and Dance faculty. Other designers include faculty member Bob Klingelhoefer, scenes and props; faculty member Alan McEwen, lighting, and also sound, assisted by students Rachel Fraley and Addison Fogus; and faculty member Mary McClung and students Wendy Farr and Andrea Varga, costumes. The stage manager is theatre student Morgan Omdal.

WVU student dancers will include: Alexandra Dennis, Megan Otte, Lauren Riviello, Lindsay Kenders, Corey Neilson, Kyle Hayes, John Perry, Olivia Davis, Emily Koledin, Lindsay Satryan, Lindsey Seijo, Alexandra Napolitano, Ali Cheseldine, Michelle Lovato, Deondra Snow, Alice Yurick, Shay Hassell, Holly Downs, Cait Robertson, Valerie Guido, Jennifer Heimpel, Maura Naughton, Erin Ciamarra, Brooke Darlington, Alexandra Dolnack, Katrina Koenig, Mercedes Lewis, Morgan Lough, Ashton Marra, Mel Moraes, Rachel Romero, Jenny Baird, Emily Henderson, Olivia Kinney, Sara Milam, Virginia Chambers, Devon Liston, Rachel Borowski and Jessica Shay.

Tickets may be purchased by calling (304) 293-SHOW or visiting the WVU Box Office at the Mountainlair or the Creative Arts Center. They are also available through Ticketmaster outlets, or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are reserved seating: $20 adult, $18 for senior citizens and WVU faculty and staff, and $15 for WVU students with ID. For more information, visit http://theatre.wvu.edu .

-WVU-

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.