Act 1 Presents Its Dance Ensemble Concert as Part of 40th Anniversary

The performing arts division continues its yearlong 40th anniversary celebration of the dance program with its annual Dance Ensemble Concert. The concert opens on March 17 in the Main Stage Theatre of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts.

The Dance Ensemble Concert will feature choreography by internationally recognized choreographers and accomplished DeSales dance faculty members, with the highlight being a “DeSales Occurrence” or a reworking of previous pieces by the legendary choreographer Donald Byrd. DeSales is one of the few schools that has been granted permission to perform Byrd’s repertoire.

Derek Crescenti is a visiting instructor of dance at DeSales and former dancer with Byrd’s company Spectrum. Crescenti took excerpts from Byrd’s Occurrence #5 and Occurrence #6—pieces, duets, and group work—and arranged them “to new music and set in a way that is not the same as the original work,” he said.

On March 17, following the 11:00 a.m. matinee performance of the DeSales University Dance Ensemble Concert, there will be moderated conversation with Byrd where he will discuss his creative process as well as his commitment to dance as a catalyst for social change.

“We are honored to welcome such a prolific choreographer to DeSales. His work is an exemplar for how dance, as an art form, can be used to question society and effect positive change. For our emerging dance artists to be exposed to his work and speak with him directly is a rare opportunity and one we are thankful to be able to offer.”

 Julia Mayo, artistic director and chair of the dance department

Guest choreographer Xi Zhao, faculty member at Webster University as well as founder and artistic director of the Beijing New Dance Festival, was inspired by the film "Everest" for her work for the concert. Zhao’s choreography echoes the physicality needed to climb the mountain. “I really wanted to show the strength of the body and the spirit through the movement,” said Zhao.

Other guest artists include Antonio Brown, founder of AntonioBrownDance and co-director of Tri-C Creative Arts Dance Academy, whose piece “How We Hear Sound” is influenced by everyday sounds from real life. Brooklyn-based choreographer Jessie Young worked with the seniors to create a bright, energetic piece that celebrates the four years the dancers have been working together. 

Angela Sigley Grossman, associate professor of dance, will offer “Solar,” developed as a continuation of her research into Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies cards as a physical practice. A random selection of cards, including “overtly resist change,” “disconnect from desire,” and “discover the recipes you are using and abandon them,” serve as Grossman’s creative prompts for this work. 

Mayo’s own work, “Joyeux,” investigates the physicalization of joy and is a celebratory conclusion to the concert. “When engaging with alumni in preparation for the department’s 40th anniversary, I was inspired by the immense joy with which each individual reflected on their time at DeSales,” says Mayo. 

The Dance Ensemble Concert runs March 17 at 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., March 18 at 8:00 p.m., and March 19 at 3:00 p.m. on the Main Stage of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the performances are $20 for adults and $17 for seniors and students.

Students who attend DeSales or any other Lehigh Valley college or university can purchase tickets for $8. Group discounts are available for all performances. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Labuda Center Box Office at 610-282-3192.

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Julia Mayo

Associate Professor, Chair of Dance Department

Angela Sigley Grossman, MFA

Associate Professor of Dance