Last Friday Mercyhurst had the great opportunity to see Paul Taylor Dance Company perform at the D'angelo Performing Arts Center. We have been very lucky to see many world renowned companies perform here at Mercyhurst and Paul Taylor is one of them.
Paul Taylor Dance Company is a medium sized modern company based in New York City. Their repertory is centered on works choreographed by Paul Taylor. The company has performed in over 540 cities and 64 countries, representing themselves as one of the top modern companies in the world.
In their performance here on Friday they performed three works. The first piece was a fun one set to popular music from the ragtime era. It was broken up into different "episodes" with different relationships between the dancers on stage. There was plenty of comedy in the piece and lots of energy. The next piece performed was a much calmer and almost ethereal work. It reminded me a bit of liturgical dance with the movement style and music. The piece they closed the performance with, was by far my favorite. The dancers were dressed in fantastic green costumes and the music was Brandenburg concertos #6 and #3. The movement showed off the dancers’ technicality and quick speed along with energy and big movement.
In the dance department we had the amazing opportunity to take a master class from one of the company members. She taught a great class focusing on the Taylor style and at the end of class she taught a movement phrase from the piece "Brandenburgs". It made the performance that much more engaging when we could see the part of choreography we learned, danced by the company onstage!
Taking class and seeing Paul Taylor Dance Company perform was a great way to end last week. Looking forward to a short week this week before fall break!
"I want to lift the audience to the miraculous in human nature. After all, we shouldn't be here, with all the odds against us in nature. It's kind of unusual and wonderful!" -Paul Taylor
Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Want to dance?
Did you used to dance but you're not a dance major? Never danced before but think it would be cool to try? Need a fun way to get some exercise? Then open class is for you!
Tuesdays and Thursdays in the dancespace you can find several kinds of dance classes to take part in. On both days an Intermediate Ballet Technique class is taught by senior dance major Tori Scott. It's a great class to come and take if you used to do ballet or if you are a dance major and want to take some extra classes. There is no dress code so it's a great way to take a good class and have fun. On Tuesdays Belly Dancing is taught by Anna Daught who is also a senior dance major. This class is something different and really fun. If you don't know much about Belly Dancing or are curious to try it, then come see what it is all about! On Thursdays junior dance major Jessica Stachelrodt teaches Hip Hop. This class is a good work out sure to make you sweat. It's good for someone trying hip hop for the first time or someone who has taken it for years. If you didn't know how to move before you will certainly be able to after one of Jessica's classes! There is also an intermediate/advanced Ballet Class taught on Saturday mornings.
So if it's Ballet you are interested in or you want to try Belly Dancing or Hip Hop, please don't hesitate to come by and check out these great classes! Mercyhurst community can attend Hip Hop and Belly Dancing for free, the Ballet class is $5 per class or you can purchase a class card. General Public must purchase a class card to take any of the open classes.
For more information check out the Mercyhurst Dance Department Website! dance.mercyhurst.edu
Schedule of Classes:
Intermediate Ballet - Tues. and Thurs. 6-7:30 p.m.
Belly Dancing - Tues. 6-7:30 p.m.
Hip Hop - Thurs. 6-7:30 p.m.
Intermediate/Advanced Ballet - Sat. 10:30 a.m. - noon
All classes in Zurn Hall danceSpace studios
Tuesdays and Thursdays in the dancespace you can find several kinds of dance classes to take part in. On both days an Intermediate Ballet Technique class is taught by senior dance major Tori Scott. It's a great class to come and take if you used to do ballet or if you are a dance major and want to take some extra classes. There is no dress code so it's a great way to take a good class and have fun. On Tuesdays Belly Dancing is taught by Anna Daught who is also a senior dance major. This class is something different and really fun. If you don't know much about Belly Dancing or are curious to try it, then come see what it is all about! On Thursdays junior dance major Jessica Stachelrodt teaches Hip Hop. This class is a good work out sure to make you sweat. It's good for someone trying hip hop for the first time or someone who has taken it for years. If you didn't know how to move before you will certainly be able to after one of Jessica's classes! There is also an intermediate/advanced Ballet Class taught on Saturday mornings.
So if it's Ballet you are interested in or you want to try Belly Dancing or Hip Hop, please don't hesitate to come by and check out these great classes! Mercyhurst community can attend Hip Hop and Belly Dancing for free, the Ballet class is $5 per class or you can purchase a class card. General Public must purchase a class card to take any of the open classes.
For more information check out the Mercyhurst Dance Department Website! dance.mercyhurst.edu
Schedule of Classes:
Intermediate Ballet - Tues. and Thurs. 6-7:30 p.m.
Belly Dancing - Tues. 6-7:30 p.m.
Hip Hop - Thurs. 6-7:30 p.m.
Intermediate/Advanced Ballet - Sat. 10:30 a.m. - noon
All classes in Zurn Hall danceSpace studios
Monday, September 26, 2011
Parents Weekend
Wow time is flying! It is already the fifth week of the term, which means mid-terms are upon us. Dance rehearsals are in full swing as we prepare for our Holiday Concert.
This coming weekend is Homecoming and Parents Weekend. There will be lots of festivities on campus including the Music and Dance Performance on Saturday morning. The Mercyhurst Dancers are performing exceprts from Pulcinella, which won second place in the ensemble category at the Youth America Grand Prix competition last year. Mercyhurst Ballet Theatre will be performing excerpts of pieces choreographed by Tauna Hunter and Alum Sarah Grace. There will also be performances by SoMar Dance Works, Mercyhurst Liturgical Dance Ensemble and Guest Alumnus. Homecoming weekend is always a fun time to see parents and visiting alumni and to take part in all of the great things going on around campus!
"Dance is the only art in which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made." -Ted Shawn
This coming weekend is Homecoming and Parents Weekend. There will be lots of festivities on campus including the Music and Dance Performance on Saturday morning. The Mercyhurst Dancers are performing exceprts from Pulcinella, which won second place in the ensemble category at the Youth America Grand Prix competition last year. Mercyhurst Ballet Theatre will be performing excerpts of pieces choreographed by Tauna Hunter and Alum Sarah Grace. There will also be performances by SoMar Dance Works, Mercyhurst Liturgical Dance Ensemble and Guest Alumnus. Homecoming weekend is always a fun time to see parents and visiting alumni and to take part in all of the great things going on around campus!
"Dance is the only art in which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made." -Ted Shawn
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Back into the swing of things
Welcome back everyone!
It is the beginning of another year here in the dancespace and things are already rolling. Everyone who came back early for Jump Start had a great time taking class with our guest teacher Thom Clower. Incoming freshmen also got the chance to enjoy great food and company with the upper classmen at the different dinner events. Members of Mercyhurst Ballet Theatre were also busy rehearsing pieces by Mr. Clower and returning graduate Sarah Mastrocola.
Official classes started last week and we held the department auditions for our Holiday show! We will be performing "Les Patineurs" Choreographed by Chrsitine Hay, a liturgical peice by Noelle Partusch and a fun always entertaining piece by Mark Santillano. The first rehearsals started yesterday and it looks like it's going to be a great performance!
Keep on Dancing :)
It is the beginning of another year here in the dancespace and things are already rolling. Everyone who came back early for Jump Start had a great time taking class with our guest teacher Thom Clower. Incoming freshmen also got the chance to enjoy great food and company with the upper classmen at the different dinner events. Members of Mercyhurst Ballet Theatre were also busy rehearsing pieces by Mr. Clower and returning graduate Sarah Mastrocola.
Official classes started last week and we held the department auditions for our Holiday show! We will be performing "Les Patineurs" Choreographed by Chrsitine Hay, a liturgical peice by Noelle Partusch and a fun always entertaining piece by Mark Santillano. The first rehearsals started yesterday and it looks like it's going to be a great performance!
Keep on Dancing :)
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Cinderella!
Hello Everyone!
Well the time has finally come! After all of our hard work, the performances of Cinderella are upon us! Everyone is looking forward to the performances this weekend. This week has been very busy as we put in our final hours of rehearsal in the theater. Last night was the dress rehearsal for the Friday and Saturday evening cast, which include our seniors Nicole Lyons as Cinderella, Jessica Borowczyk as the Fairy Godmother, and Claire Hinde and Sarah Grace as the Step-sisters. There were still a few glitches to work out but I think after our second dress rehearsal tonight for the Saturday and Sunday matinee cast everything will look great! The matinee cast includes Sophomore Olivia Boyd as Cinderella, Junior Kristina Weimer as the Fairy Godmother, and Juniors Haley Bradstreet and Victoria Scott as the Step-sisters.
Our performances will be Friday, May 29th at 4pm, Saturday, May 30th at 2pm and 7pm and Sunday, May 31 at 2pm. Hope to see you there!
"Then come the lights shining on you from above. You are a performer. You forget all you learned, the process of technique, the fear, the pain, you even forget who you are. You become one with the music, the lights, indeed one with the dance."
-Shirley Maclaine
Well the time has finally come! After all of our hard work, the performances of Cinderella are upon us! Everyone is looking forward to the performances this weekend. This week has been very busy as we put in our final hours of rehearsal in the theater. Last night was the dress rehearsal for the Friday and Saturday evening cast, which include our seniors Nicole Lyons as Cinderella, Jessica Borowczyk as the Fairy Godmother, and Claire Hinde and Sarah Grace as the Step-sisters. There were still a few glitches to work out but I think after our second dress rehearsal tonight for the Saturday and Sunday matinee cast everything will look great! The matinee cast includes Sophomore Olivia Boyd as Cinderella, Junior Kristina Weimer as the Fairy Godmother, and Juniors Haley Bradstreet and Victoria Scott as the Step-sisters.
Our performances will be Friday, May 29th at 4pm, Saturday, May 30th at 2pm and 7pm and Sunday, May 31 at 2pm. Hope to see you there!
"Then come the lights shining on you from above. You are a performer. You forget all you learned, the process of technique, the fear, the pain, you even forget who you are. You become one with the music, the lights, indeed one with the dance."
-Shirley Maclaine
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Midterm time!
Hello Everyone!
Its been a busy couple of weeks here in the dance department but it seems as if things are finally coming together. Cinderella rehearsals are running full time now and we are beginning to rehearse entire acts. Everything looks so good we can't wait for you to see the production!
Midterms were also this past week so everyone can finally relax a bit and focus simply on getting back into the swing of classes and normal everyday life. Everyone seemed to do wonderfully and I'm sure all the midterm grades will be splendid.
We also had a guest teacher come in for a residency a couple weeks ago, Ms. Cameron Basden, Director of Dance at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Cameron Basden has had a career in dance spanning more than thirty years. She brings passion and spirit to her art, as well as a keen sense of organization and integrity to the projects she undertakes. Ms. Basden served as Ballet Master and Co-Associate Director for The Joffrey Ballet from 1993-2008. She was a muse for Gerald Arpino and now stages his works. She worked on the PBS filming of The Joffrey's production of Billboards, and oversaw the filming and staging of the ballets in Save the Last Dance. She is a noted lecturer and speaker on dance and dance related subjects. As a repetiteur, Ms. Basden has staged both historical and contemporary works. With The Joffrey Ballet, Ms. Basden danced in a variety of styles by such choreographers as Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, William Forsythe, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, James Kudelka, Laura Dean and Choo San Goh. Ms. Basden's television credits include the Dance in America series "Homage to Diaghilev" and "The Search for the Rite of Spring". In 2003, she portrayed herself in Robert Altman's movie, The Company. She serves on the board of The Gerald Arpino Foundation where she is also the main repetiteur.
In addition to Ms. Basden's residency we have had two early bird auditions for high school juniors that are interested in the department. This allows them to audition and get a head start in applying to the college as well as the department. The conclusions of these two auditions also concludes our audition season.
The department also participated in a couple events on campus in the past couple weeks. The entire department participated in a research study with the psychology department. In addition, the wellness fair was held this past week which is always an excitement for the department. As such active athletes, everyone in the department likes to go to the fair and learn about different ways to take care of yourself, both physically and mentally, as well as enjoy delicious and healthy food.
here
Finally, Mercyhurst had the pleasure of hosting Complexions Dance Company. The show was spectacular with amazing choreography by Dwight Rhodes and extreme and limitless dancing by the company. Here is a bit about the company from their website...
"It is artistic directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson’s lifelong appreciation for the artistic & aesthetic appeal of the multicultural that forms the cornerstone of Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s singular approach to reinventing dance. Founded in 1994, Complexions’ groundbreaking mix of methods, styles, cultures has created an entirely new and exciting vision of human movement over the past decade-and-a-half.
The company’s foremost innovation is that dance should be about removing boundaries, not reinforcing them. Whether it be the limiting traditions of a single style, period, venue, or culture, Complexions transcends them all, creating an open, continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world—and all its constituent cultures—as an interrelated whole.
It is Rhoden and Richardson’s unique career paths that have paved the way for them to re-define dance—as their multifaceted resumes will show, neither has ever been comfortable with his art being placed in a box. Instead, from E! to PBS to VH1, from Cirque de Soleil to the Joffrey Ballet to So You Think You Can Dance, the two have allowed the transformative power of their art to flow freely throughout the entertainment world—their creative vision restricted by nothing but the limits of the human body itself.
Together, Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson have created in Complexions an institution that embodies its historical moment, a sanctuary where those passionate about dance can celebrate its past while simultaneously building its future. In the 16 years since its inception, the company has born witness to a world that is becoming more fluid, more changeable, and more culturally interconnected than ever before—in other words, a world that is becoming more and more like Complexions itself."
Overall it has been an exciting and eventful past couple of weeks for the department and we can't wait to share the rest of the year with you!
“In life as in dance: Grace glides on blistered feet” - Alice Abrams
Its been a busy couple of weeks here in the dance department but it seems as if things are finally coming together. Cinderella rehearsals are running full time now and we are beginning to rehearse entire acts. Everything looks so good we can't wait for you to see the production!
Midterms were also this past week so everyone can finally relax a bit and focus simply on getting back into the swing of classes and normal everyday life. Everyone seemed to do wonderfully and I'm sure all the midterm grades will be splendid.
We also had a guest teacher come in for a residency a couple weeks ago, Ms. Cameron Basden, Director of Dance at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Cameron Basden has had a career in dance spanning more than thirty years. She brings passion and spirit to her art, as well as a keen sense of organization and integrity to the projects she undertakes. Ms. Basden served as Ballet Master and Co-Associate Director for The Joffrey Ballet from 1993-2008. She was a muse for Gerald Arpino and now stages his works. She worked on the PBS filming of The Joffrey's production of Billboards, and oversaw the filming and staging of the ballets in Save the Last Dance. She is a noted lecturer and speaker on dance and dance related subjects. As a repetiteur, Ms. Basden has staged both historical and contemporary works. With The Joffrey Ballet, Ms. Basden danced in a variety of styles by such choreographers as Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, William Forsythe, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, James Kudelka, Laura Dean and Choo San Goh. Ms. Basden's television credits include the Dance in America series "Homage to Diaghilev" and "The Search for the Rite of Spring". In 2003, she portrayed herself in Robert Altman's movie, The Company. She serves on the board of The Gerald Arpino Foundation where she is also the main repetiteur.
In addition to Ms. Basden's residency we have had two early bird auditions for high school juniors that are interested in the department. This allows them to audition and get a head start in applying to the college as well as the department. The conclusions of these two auditions also concludes our audition season.
The department also participated in a couple events on campus in the past couple weeks. The entire department participated in a research study with the psychology department. In addition, the wellness fair was held this past week which is always an excitement for the department. As such active athletes, everyone in the department likes to go to the fair and learn about different ways to take care of yourself, both physically and mentally, as well as enjoy delicious and healthy food.
here
Finally, Mercyhurst had the pleasure of hosting Complexions Dance Company. The show was spectacular with amazing choreography by Dwight Rhodes and extreme and limitless dancing by the company. Here is a bit about the company from their website...
"It is artistic directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson’s lifelong appreciation for the artistic & aesthetic appeal of the multicultural that forms the cornerstone of Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s singular approach to reinventing dance. Founded in 1994, Complexions’ groundbreaking mix of methods, styles, cultures has created an entirely new and exciting vision of human movement over the past decade-and-a-half.
The company’s foremost innovation is that dance should be about removing boundaries, not reinforcing them. Whether it be the limiting traditions of a single style, period, venue, or culture, Complexions transcends them all, creating an open, continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world—and all its constituent cultures—as an interrelated whole.
It is Rhoden and Richardson’s unique career paths that have paved the way for them to re-define dance—as their multifaceted resumes will show, neither has ever been comfortable with his art being placed in a box. Instead, from E! to PBS to VH1, from Cirque de Soleil to the Joffrey Ballet to So You Think You Can Dance, the two have allowed the transformative power of their art to flow freely throughout the entertainment world—their creative vision restricted by nothing but the limits of the human body itself.
Together, Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson have created in Complexions an institution that embodies its historical moment, a sanctuary where those passionate about dance can celebrate its past while simultaneously building its future. In the 16 years since its inception, the company has born witness to a world that is becoming more fluid, more changeable, and more culturally interconnected than ever before—in other words, a world that is becoming more and more like Complexions itself."
Overall it has been an exciting and eventful past couple of weeks for the department and we can't wait to share the rest of the year with you!
“In life as in dance: Grace glides on blistered feet” - Alice Abrams
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Spring Term Begins :)
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to a new term here at Mercyhurst! Spring term has started and everyone is already as busy as ever. In addition to academics, rehearsals for our spring sow are a main focus in the department. With so many parts to be learned and so much choreography to set it is great to see everyone so dedicated and charged to making this production happen at a high quality.
In addition to Cinderella, rehearsals for the YAGP are in full swing. The girls going to NYC are full of excitement and drive and the rest of the department gives them much support on the venture!
"Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn." ~Terri Guilleme
Welcome to a new term here at Mercyhurst! Spring term has started and everyone is already as busy as ever. In addition to academics, rehearsals for our spring sow are a main focus in the department. With so many parts to be learned and so much choreography to set it is great to see everyone so dedicated and charged to making this production happen at a high quality.
In addition to Cinderella, rehearsals for the YAGP are in full swing. The girls going to NYC are full of excitement and drive and the rest of the department gives them much support on the venture!
"Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn." ~Terri Guilleme
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