Department of Dance

Fall 2018 Dance Spectrum in Concert

November 30 - December 1, 2018 @ 8 PM; December 1, 2018 @ 2 PM
James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center Dance Theater

The Sam Houston State University Department of Dance will present the Fall 2018 Dance Spectrum in ConcertNov 29 – Dec 1 in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center Dance Theatre at 8 PM nightly with a Dec 1 Matinee performance at 2 PM. The purpose of Dance Spectrum is to give dance majors an opportunity to hone their craft by working with guest artists and dance faculty on challenging repertory in an atmosphere that is professional in nature. Many students go on to work with the guest artists or faculty in professional settings outside the university upon graduation. Dance Spectrum and other performance opportunities at Sam prepare our dance students for their future careers as dance performance artists and serves as a bridge for students from student to the professional world. 

This semester’s Dance Spectrum line-up includes works by Dance faculty members David J Deveau, Joshua Manculich, Dana Nicolay, Andy Noble, and Dionne Sparkman Noble, Musical Theater professor, Kyle Craig-Bogard, and adjunct professor Rasika Borse. The evening will also feature a work by the Dance Gallery Guest Artist Sidra Bell form Sidra Bell Dance NY. Ms. Bell created an original work during her one-week residency that premiered at the 9^thannual Dance Gallery Festival at SHSU and will be presented once again during Dance Spectrum. A feature of this evening will be the world premiere of Dana Nicolay’s Alice in Wonderlandwith costume design by Barry Doss and set design by Bryan Ealey and Barry Doss. This is one show you won’t want to miss!

Photo by Dionne Sparkman Noble; Costume Design by Barry Doss; Alice: Abby McBroom

DETAILS

Dance Gallery Festival/Texas Experience

Sam Houston State University
Gaertner Performing Arts Center Dance Theater
October 26 & 27, 2018 @ 8 PM
www.shsu.edu/boxoffice

The Dance Gallery Festival will return to Sam Houston State University for the 9th year of their performance showcase with more than 10 artists in a weekend of groundbreaking work. See full lineup below. The Dance Gallery Festival was established in 2007 to mentor upcoming national and international choreographic talent with performance opportunities and residencies.Under the guidance of Astrid von Ussar, Festival Artistic Director and co-founder,The Dance Gallery Festival has mentored hundreds of artists seeking to establish a foothold in a business with few resources and much competition.

In 2009, The Dance Gallery partnered with Sam Houston State Universityin Huntsville, Texas, offering paid guest artist residencies to select participating companies.The one-week residencies,selected by a juried panel of Sam Houston University faculty and area artists, allow recipients to choreograph new work on Sam Houston’s upper-level students, as well as teach classes in technique and choreography. Twelve master classes will be held from Oct. 25 to Oct. 27.

The SHSU Resident Artist this year is Sidra Bell, who will create a new work set on Sam Houston University students that will be performed in The Dance Gallery Festival on Oct. 26 and 27.

Over 320 emerging and established choreographers have participated in The Dance Gallery Festival since its founding in 2007, with more than twenty-five works commissioned. Many Festival alumni have gone on to perform at Jacob’s Pillow, the Joyce Theater, international venues and national television. Video.

Having been met with praise and enthusiasm from artists, audiences and critics, The Dance Gallery Festival has quickly become an essential and anticipated addition to the dance world. According to Ms. von Ussar, “the production of modern concert dance is often challenged by the scarcity of suitable and affordable performance venues. The Dance Gallery Festival addresses this problem by providing a state-of-the-art theater, complete with production staff, marketing, and public relations support to showcase each choreographer’s work.

 “We are very pleased with our growth. ‘Level Up’ artists are now receiving fees in support of the creation of new work, and a residency program has been established with workshops and performances at the Catskills Arts Society in Livingston Manor NY. We have also expanded our university partnerships," she said.

Full Lineup:

Bridget L. Moore/B. Moore Dance - Dallas

Autumn Eckman/Autumn Eckman Dance - Arizona

DRE.SPEAKS - NYC

Emily Bernet and Taylor Rodman/Bombshell Dance Project - Dallas

Emily Robison - Houston

Jennifer Mabus - Houston

Joshua L. Peugh - Dallas

Nicole von Arx - NYC

Rohan Bhargava/Rovaco Dance Company - NYC

Sidra Bell - NYC

Read more about THE DANCE GALLERY FESTIVAL here.

Also Read Up on the latest Arts & Culture Magazine article featuring The Dance Gallery Festival and other Texas Dance Festivals here.

Photo Credits: Photo 1 by Brian Guilliaux, Dark Circles Contemporary Dance; Photo 2 by Lynn Lane, Bombshell Dance Project; Photo 3 by Whitney Brown, Nicole von Are