Brigham Young University’s Contemporary Dance Theatre Performs Shining New Choreography in ‘Aperture’
Join Brigham Young University Contemporary Dance Theatre (CDT) for “Aperture,” a new performance directed by Adam Ray Dyer and Kate Monson. The technically advanced students in the company worked closely with faculty and guest choreographers to develop choreography that represents the wide variety of aesthetics in the modern dance world.
Katie Williams, vice president of CDT, is one of the talented student dancers on the project. Williams is in her last year at BYU and will perform in nine of the pieces. She believes that contemporary dance has the power to captivate long-time fans and first-time attendees.
“This concert has so much versatility to it,” said Williams. “What I enjoy so much about contemporary dance is that it can be whatever you want it to be.”
Along with BYU’s amazing student dancers, this performance will feature pieces choreographed by the incredible and diversely talented Jesse Obremski, Keely Song, Steve Bangerter, Hannah Hardy, Adam Dyer, Nicole Von Arx, Cindy Welik-Salgado, Laja Field, Kate Monson, Bonnie Story and Mo Crump.
Obremski's piece “VANISH” premiered at BYU in 2020 and has also been adapted for film by CDT. Other returning creatives include Steve and Hardy, who are CDT alumni. Additionally, Mo Crump's piece is a restaging of her senior piece from when she was a BA dance student.
“This concert has so much versatility to it. What I enjoy so much about contemporary dance is that it can be whatever you want it to be.”
“We work with each artist for about a week learning their material,” said Williams. “Oftentimes, they will teach master classes, which give us another opportunity to embody and learn their movement style.”
Keely Song, professor of dance at BYU, whose works have premiered in both international and national dance film festivals, also choreographed for this technically advanced performance.
Other exciting choreographers on the project include Bonnie Story, an award-winning choreographer who has worked on many movies and live shows, including High School Musical 3; Cindy Welik-Salgado, who is a member of Crystal Pite's Kidd Pivot; and Nicole Von Arx, who is well known throughout the contemporary dance world.
“Aperture” has also provided an opportunity for students like Williams to assist in developing choreography.
“I had the amazing opportunity to help choreograph Adam Dyer’s new piece,” said Williams. “It came about from technique combinations we made for the technique class I was his TA for. It was a great experience to teach the movement and experiment to help his vision come to life.”
When asked what she hopes audiences will take away from “Aperture,” Williams expressed her hope for individual interpretation.
“I hope people open their minds to contemporary dance,” Williams said. “The beautiful thing about it is that you do not have to understand any of it to enjoy it. You can create your own interpretation or just enjoy the movement as a whole. There is no right way to watch or understand it.”
Get your tickets now to let the light of dance in with “Aperture”!
Tickets and Show Details
When: February 25–28 at 7:30 p.m. and February 28 at 2:00 p.m.
Where: RB Dance Performance Theatre
Price: $20
Tickets: Available online at onstage.byu.edu