CCM’s Department of Dance proudly presents the annual Dance Student Choreographers’ Showcase in the intimate Cohen Family Studio Theater from March 3 – 5, 2016. Dance Department faculty members Andre Megerdichian and Michael Tevlin will direct the diverse collection of student-produced pieces. Admission is free, but reservations are required.
CCM Dance’s annual Student Choreographers’ Showcase returns March 3 – 5, 2016. Photo by Will Brenner.
This year’s showcase features the new works of six talented undergraduate choreographers. To be selected for this highly competitive program, students submitted proposals and performed brief selections from their pieces several months ago.
“We were looking for maturity and thoughtfulness. Essentially we were investing in potential,” says Megerdichian. This year’s talented crop includes Jake Elwell, Brooke Fabian, Sterling Faust, Brianna Levy, Kiahna Saneshige and Emma Webb.
Outgoing senior Brianna Levy is one of the talented student-choreographers who will be featured. Her contemporary ballet piece for eight dancers is titled Within Dreams.
Levy explains, “I’ve had the idea to choreograph a dance revolving around dreams for a long time, and the fact that I am nearing the conclusion of my education at CCM makes this the perfect time to bring this piece to life.”
She continues, “We are the most uninhibited in our dreams, they grant us the ability to explore any and all worlds, allow us to express our deepest fears, present a means to revisit the past and give voice to our most secret desires and aspirations. Dreams provide the driving force behind our daily lives – if not for our dreams, what would we be living for?”
The dance is divided into three sections, all featuring music by The Album Leaf (a solo music project inspired by classical, jazz and post-rock electronica). “The first section presents an entrance into the dream world, introducing the more exploratory and wondrous side of dreams. The second section, featuring a pas de deux, revolves around dreams of longing, love and loss. The third and final section takes a look at the more celebratory aspect of dreams – dreams that inspire us to strive and achieve, that transcend the world of sleep to our waking reality,” explains Levy.
Another young choreographer whose work will be showcased is sophomore Emma Webb. Webb, a Cincinnati native, is choreographing a contemporary ballet on pointe with 12 dancers titled Embracing the Battle. “The push and pull, ups and downs and turn of events in life were the inspiration for this piece,” remarks Webb. She says her choreographic style is designed to showcase the many talents of her fellow classmates. “I want to show off the dancers’ technique, but also allow them to put their artistic and expressive flair on each movement,” she says. “I am enjoying this process of working with such talented students!”
The rest of the concert features diverse works ranging from hip-hop dance to classical ballet; each piece is conceived and created by the students themselves.
Megerdichian remarks, “Our students are extremely talented and self-motivated, so we just make sure to have the resources in place to help them achieve their vision.”
With free admission and limited seating, CCM’s Studio Series productions remain one of the hottest tickets in town. Learn more about how to secure your tickets by visiting ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/did-you-know/how-to-studio-series.
Performance Times
- 8 p.m. Thursday, March 3
- 8 p.m. Friday, March 4
- 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, March 5
Location
Cohen Family Studio Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati
Reserving Tickets
Admission to the Dance Student Choreographer’s Showcase is free, but reservations are required. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.
Parking and Directions
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.
For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the new U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.
For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
____
CCM Season Presenting Sponsor and Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
Community Partner: ArtsWave
The Dance Department gratefully acknowledges the support of the Corbett Endowment at CCM.
CCM VILLAGE NEWS ARCHIVES 