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The DeSales Dance Season Opens with the Emerging Choreographers Concert

by Tom McNamara '92, M'21 Oct 27, 2023
Amity_IsabellaTrocino_EatonL 2

Rehearsal photo from “Amity,” a work choreographed by Isabella Trocino that will be performed at DeSales University’s Emerging Choreographers Concert. (Photo by Lena Eaton.)

 

The dance department opens its 2023-2024 season with the popular Emerging Choreographers Concert November 3-5 in the Schubert Theatre of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts.

The Emerging Choreographers Concert is a program of new works choreographed by a select group of student choreographers. Under the artistic direction of Julia Mayo, associate professor and chair of the dance department, the concert, from the choreographers to the performers, designers, and student managers, is primarily student-run.

“The Emerging Choreographers Concert is a beautiful example of the creative intelligence of our dance majors. Each choreographer spends countless hours researching their chosen topic and how to best express this concept through an original choreographic work. As artistic director, I have the privilege of seeing these works transform from a written proposal to fully produced dances.”

 Julia Mayo, associate professor and chair of the dance department

Six world premiere dances will be presented that focus on themes of creativity and individuality, the human personality, friendship, and even the relationship between mathematics and dance, depicting concepts such as geometry, algebra, and calculus.

One work is a tribute to Pearl Primus, an American choreographer, dancer, and anthropologist, whose movement style was studied and performed to promote African-American culture.

Performances are Friday, November 3, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 4, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, November 5, at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $8 for DSU/LVAIC students for all performances. Tickets are available by calling the Labuda box office at 610-282-3192 or online at tickets.desales.edu.