Final!!!

Hi Everyone,

Dance Department finals are just around the corner and each class is working diligently on their individual final combinations. Dance finals are held a week before academic finals which means that they are coming up rapidly, Monday and Tuesday in fact. In addition, to working on academic finals, the Choreogrpahy I class are continually working on their final pieces which are also to be performed on Monday.

In other news, the senior class is getting together their audition packets that are a part of their senior professional seminar class. These packets help them put together their resume, cover letter, audition photos and audition dvd to send to companies and line up auditions.

"To tap or not to tap...silly question!!" ~anonymous

A Big Success!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone!

"A Stravinsky Celebration" this past weekend was a major success!!!!!!!!!!! The cast and crew did a wonderful job and the performances all looked beautful. Thank you to everyone that came out to see the show and supported the Mercyhurst Dance Department in our Fall 2010 show.

Though we may have just finished with performance weekend, the dance department has not slowed down one bit. The choreography I class has been working hard on their final group pieces and they will be performed in less than a week. Needless to say both the choreographers and the dancers are hard at work and the studios are checked out most 24/7.

In addition, the entire department is beginning to prepare for ejudicated dance finals next week. Every term each student performs a short combination or variation infront of the faculty and that counts as our final exam. It is stressful but at the same time gives you a good idea of what an audition feels like and how to perform infront of a panel when they are sitting just a few feet away from you.

Overall it was a very productive weekend and seems like it will be a productive week as well in the DanceSpace.

"I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what it too deep to find for words." ~Ruth St. Denis

A Stravinsky Celebration!

Its finally here! The Fall Show, "A Stravinsky Celebration", is this weekend!!!!! The department has kicked into high gear trying to get everything ready. All the pieces in the show have been spaced on the stage and tonight is the first dress rehearsal. We can't wait to share all our hard work with you and get the chance to do what we love, perform. Come out and support us on Saturday at 2 and 7 and Sunday at 2 in the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center on the Mercyhurst College Campus in Erie, PA!

"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels." ~anonymous

Show Week!!!!!!

Its officially show week in the danceSpace which means its the busiest week of the term for everyone involved in the show! We are all working extremely hard to bring you a wonderful evening of dance to the dynamic and exciting music of Stravinsky.

The Mercyhurst Dancers will present A Stravinsky Celebration, Saturday, October 30 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm and Sunday, October 31 at 2:00 pm at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on the Mercyhurst College campus in Erie, PA. Stravinsky’s Firebird celebrates 100 years. This Russian folk tale of a magical glowing bird that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor completes a program of Stravinsky favorites, Pulcinella Suite and The Rite of Spring with just a bit of a twist. In addition a new work by choreographer, Randy James, Closing the Glass Door will premiere. A lecture presented by Assistant Professor, Christine Marie Hay on the composer Igor Stravinsky: His Impact on Dance, will precede the Sunday performance at 1:00 pm in Zurn 114, adjacent to the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

Tickets range from $5.00 - $15.50 and can be purchased by calling (814) 824-3000

Another Fall Day in the danceSpace

Hi Everyone! Its another lovely fall day here on the Mercyhurst campus and everyone is continuing to work hard with the department show, A Stravinsky Celebration, right around the corner. It is October 30th at 2 and 7 and the 31st at 2 in the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College.

In other department news, the Choreography I class are working diligently on their group pieces. It is part of the degree program for the sophomores to take Choreogaphy I and from there the majors have the option to continue on through Choreography II, III and IV. It is always exciting to see new choreographic talent within the department.

Our outreach team is also busy working on a show to take to elementary schools and assisted living facilities. It is very important to the department as well as to the college to perform community service and this is a great way for the dance majors to do that! The show will feature choreography by senior, Sarah Mastrolcola among other student choreographers!

"It's what I always wanted to do, to show the laughter, the fun the joy of dance." ~Martha Graham

Back to School Again

Hello All! Fall break is officially over and everyone has returned to the department well rested and ready to work.

With the fall show, A Stravinsky Celebration, coming up so fast that has become the main focus in the danceSpace. The performance, which is Halloween weekend, will include Stravinsky's Firebird, Rite of Spring, and Pulcinella as well as a piece entitled Closing the Glass Door by Randy James. Everyone is working their hardest to make sure the performance is spectacular!

In other exciting news, our students who went to the Project Dance convention is Sydney Australia have returned! Keep your eyes open for a guest blog by senior Christine Wilbur about her experience!

Yesterday we had our last group of high school students auditioning for the department until January. They all seemed to have a good time and enjoy both the department and the campus and hopefully we will be seeing some of them again next fall as new freshmen!

"If dancing were any easier it would be called football." - anonymous

Fall Break!

Its officially Fall Break here at Mercyhurst which means that there are no classes until Monday! Needless to say things are really quiet here in the danceSpace.

We are getting ready for our final round of high school students that would like to audition for the department until January. Its going to be a full house this coming monday as basically all the slots for this audition have been filled up. Everyone is very excited to share our little piece of the Mercyhurst world with potential students.

Corbindances will be at the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center this saturday! They will also be giving a master class for dance majors before their performance saturday which is quite exciting!!!

Otherwise this week has been pretty quiet in the space. Rehearsals for the fall show, A Stravinsky Celebration, are really getting down to the wire but everything seems to be coming together nicely! We can't wait to share all our hard work with you all!

"Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It's the rhythm of your life. It's the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and envy." ~Jaques D'ambroise