FRESH! was the culmination of many hours spent in the studio choreographing and rehearsing to get everything just right. As the latest student-choreographed dance concert this show featured all new creative works by the students of SUU’s Department of Theater Arts & Dance.
Michael Crotty, Assistant Professor of Dance at SUU, said: “As an evening of original choreographic works, FRESH! addresses notions of resurgence, and the role of art-making to generate new ideas and make meaning out of seemingly disparate points of view, opinions, and experiences. FRESH! draws on the unique points of view of several choreographers as they utilize dance as a conduit to make meaning and authentically generate bold works of art that can challenge, entertain, and revitalize us.”
The show encompassed a wide variety of experiences from senior Dance Education student Kyrsten Harper’s piece that made the audience laugh out loud to Bailey Nigh’s that delighted and puzzled audience members at the same time.
In response to how her creative process works Nigh said: “My piece started in a certain place, but ended up changing drastically along the way. It was a great lesson in control; I learned to trust my instincts, let go, and let the work live and breathe on its own. I let it ask it’s own questions and learned to live without the answer.”
The student dancers at SUU spent their days in classrooms perfecting their technique and pushing their creative identities to all new heights, then they spend their nights in the rehearsal rooms creating original works and then practicing until every move is perfect.
By the time they crawl into bed each night their body is spent from the physical and mental toll creativity demands but with blisters itching and cracked feet bleeding they get up and do it all again the next day.
Story by: Alexis J. Taylor
accent@suunews.net|
Photo by: Mitchell Quartz
