Annual faculty dance concert from WWU Dance Program to take place April 8-11

March 19, 2010

Western Washington University's Dance Program will present its annual Faculty Dance Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday-Saturday, April 8-10, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 11 at the WWU Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theater.

The concert will feature WWU dance students performing original faculty choreography. A wide variety of genres will be represented; from dance theater to classical modern dance and contemporary styles of technique.

The evening will showcase works by the following WWU Dance faculty members:

  • Nolan Dennett will present “Gabriel Hounds," a companion work to "Angels and Other Reflections" which was described by Lewis Seagal of the Los Angeles Times as "...a rich and moving interpretation of the struggles we humans wage." Dennett's piece, which involves an original script and choreography, has integrated experiences of the performers and examines with scarring introspection the profound effects of facing down forces of darkness and finding the will to survive.
  • Susan Haines will premier a piece for 14 dancers that contrasts emotion with the physicality of momentum and speed. The work includes video projections of a dance film.
  • Penny Hutchinson will present a duet set on Kai Berkedal and Shannon Tallman that is being performed in New York City for the 92nd Street YMCA’s 75th Anniversary Festival in March as part of “Molissa Fenley and Friends.” Hutchinson is also premiering a group piece set to the music of Esa Pekka Salonen.
  • Pam Kuntz will present a piece for five dancers that explores voice and rhythm created by a live sound score from the cast.
  • Six dancers will present a new work choreographed by Richard Merrill that he describes as “a dark fairy tale.”

Tickets for the performance are available through the WWU Box Office and cost $15 for general admission; $12 for seniors, WWU staff and faculty; and $10 for students.

WWU Box Office hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and one hour prior to the performance start time. For individual tickets and disability accommodations, contact the WWU Box Office at (360) 650-6146 or visit http://www.tickets.wwu.edu.

For more information, visit http://www.wwu.edu/depts/dance or call (360) 650-7293.