FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saint Mary’s College Program in Dance presents: “HappensDance”
Media contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574) 284-4579
January 20, 2011 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The Saint Mary’s College Program in Dance will perform “HappensDance”- DanceArts 2011 on February 11 and 12 in O’Laughlin Auditorium. This annual presentation is an eclectic concert of dances by students, faculty, and guest artists. The concert will feature ballet, modern dance, tap dance, and even a kick line to a medley of Beatles songs.
Artistic director Indi Dieckgrafe, dance professor, comments on the strength and versatility of this year’s ensemble, “The dancers’ dedication to arts in education demands hours and hours of strenuous work. It is exciting to witness this caliber of students as they discover their artistic voices. ‘HappensDance’ offers a delightful sampling of dance to even the most timid of audiences.”
“HappensDance”- DanceArts 2011 will showcase an array of choreographic ideas and styles featuring the 2010-2011 Dance Ensemble Workshop. Dance faculty choreographers include Dieckgrafe, Laurie Lowry and Michele Kriner who will premiere works in this year’s presentation. Highlights of “HappensDance” include the following:
o Lowry’s “The Carnival of the Animals”, music by Saint-Saens, will reach out to the inner child.
o Guest choreographer Lena Polzonetti will premiere a work, “Memos”, inspired by the writings of the late Italian author and journalist Italo Calvino.
o “Pick Your Seat” by Beth LaBaren-Root, director of dance at Southwestern Michigan College, promises to be an audience pleaser.
o Dieckgrafe will offer a quartet addressing contemporary culture and societal conditions in the premiere of “Our Own Shadows”, set to the score of “Apocolypta”.
o “Café”, to be performed by five student dancers, is a whimsical and sophisticated piece choreographed by Kriner that will transport the audience straight to the Champs Élysées in Paris.
o The dance works will be enhanced with costumes designed by Melissa B. Bialko and lighting designs by Michaela Duffy and guest designer Kevin Dreyer.
There will be three performances: 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 11 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 12. For tickets, go to www.moreaucenter.com.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” in the U.S. News & World Report 2011 College Guide. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.