As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create new ways of holding events, Southern Utah University’s Department of Theatre Arts & Dance and Department of Arts Administration will be hosting a free drive-in movie-style dance concert on Nov. 6.
The screening of the concert, titled “Vanishing Point,” is the department’s way of innovating virtual and socially distant opportunities in light of COVID-19, according to Assistant Professor of Dance Alexandra Bradhsaw-Yerby.
“We, the dance faculty, are thrilled to premiere these three new screendances in a fun and safe drive-in movie format,” said Bradshaw-Yerby. “I cannot wait for our students to watch themselves perform up on the silver screen.”
Assistant Professor of Dance Danielle Sheather said she has found it necessary to teach her students how to dance for the camera, which requires different skills than dancing on stage. Sheather and her students spent time in rehearsal understanding camera angles, continuity, depth of field and other camera techniques that play a role in translating dance to the screen.
“It’s important for our audience to recognize that they won’t be seeing dance for the proscenium stage that was then filmed,” said Sheather. “Our audience will be seeing screendances, an entirely new way of looking at dance and experiencing the artform.”
The drive-in concert will start at 7 p.m. and take place at the Bud Bowman Intramural Field, directly east of SUU’s Physical Education Building.
Audience members must wear a mask if they are outside of their vehicles, and names and phone numbers of each group will be recorded to correspond with Utah’s COVID-19 contact tracing measures.
“We look forward to hearing our audience’s reactions to the work as we continue to elevate the students’ education,” said Sheather.
The concert was originally scheduled for Nov. 7 but was changed to Nov. 6 due to impending weather conditions.
Visit the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance’s website for more information on the dance program and its events.
Story By: Tori Jensen
reporter@suunews.net
photo courtesy of SUU College of Performing Arts
