Department Of Dance

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After many spending many hours in preparation and rehearsal, the BYU Ballroom Dance Company will travel abroad for its 2013 performance tour, May 24—June 17. Every three years the dance company competes in the prestigious Blackpool Dance Festival in England. This year, the group will compete in the competition and will also perform in 10 additional performances across England, Germany, and Switzerland. The Blackpool Dance Festival is an annual competition that draws the best ballroom teams and dancers from around the world. In 2010 the modern formation team from BYU returned home with its 11th win while the Latin formation team earned its 12th win. Although we know the competition will be high, we hope the hard work of the company will once again pay off. For more information regarding BYU performing groups, visit pam.byu.edu. To book a performance, contact Performing Arts Management at (801) 422-3576 or perform@byu.edu.

The Brigham Young University Department of Dance presents the annual “Ballroom in Concert” with the BYU Ballroom Dance Company Friday and Saturday, April 12-13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Marriott Center, including a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday.

The top ensembles from Brigham Young University's Department of Dance will present “eviDANCE” Wednesday through Saturday, Sept. 12-15, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. There will also be a matinee Saturday at 2 p.m.

Equipped with an eight-foot trampoline, benches, and mattresses, Contemporary Dance Theatre will travel this summer to India to perform The Rhythm of Life. The show explores the rhythm of the world interpreted through dance and music–from the simple rhythm of a heartbeat to the rhythm of the street. The last group traveled to India in 2001. The company will be performing for audiences in Delhi, Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam, and Goa–to name a few. Members of the company are excited to share the experience of dance with the people in India. “I am most excited to be exposed to a totally new culture,” said group member Kristin Brown. “I can’t wait to dance and share our light with so many amazing people in India. I know I am going to learn so much about myself and be changed for the rest of my life.” One of the dances, “Chakra,” is choreographed by Ivan Pulinkala, originally from New Delhi, India. The dance applies the principles of balance and energy as a metaphor for the human struggle to regain equilibrium in modern society. The word chakra is derived from traditional Indian medicine, which identifies seven energy craters that reside in the human body. The dance requires an eight-foot, wheel-shaped trampoline that rolls across the stage, symbolizing the cycle of life from birth to death. Each of the members of the company has a favorite. For Jeneca Frederiksen that number is “Woman the Pioneer,” a tribute to women of faith and courage everywhere. The dance depicts a woman who has suffered the loss of a child as she travels across the plains with the Mormon pioneers. “The piece shows her grief and sorrow over losing a child and the process of moving forward despite that,” Frederiksen said. “It is a very moving piece, and one that is difficult emotionally to perform and see. But it is by far my favorite.” Although the tour to India is months away, the group practices 12 hours a week. Contemporary dance is a conglomeration of dance genres molded into one. It requires dancers to move their torsos, fly through the air, and communicate through intricate and abstract movements. Logan McGill considers storytelling a key component of contemporary dance. “Contemporary dance is about allowing the audience to become a part of the dancing experience,” McGill said. “It is about the audience and performers giving and taking from each other to create an experience that is fun, emotional, and, most important, unforgettable.” Source: Performing Arts Management

The tango, fox trot, waltz, rumba, and cha-cha are all elements of the BYU Ballroom Dance Company. More than just another dance team, they have been able to breach the barrier between the stage and the audience by forming an atmosphere that captivates and immerses their audiences into the world they’ve created. During their recent Northern California tour in October, they performed their show Capture the Magic to crowded auditoriums in the cities of Folsom, Oakland, Paradise, Modesto, Santa Clara, Napa, and Fresno. Presenting in venues such as the Great America’s Showtime Theater in Santa Clara and the historic Warnors Center for the Performing Arts in Fresno, the show become an instant success with audience members. Captivating audiences across the world, BYU’s Ballroom Dance Company continues to showcase dances that are versatile, entertaining, and moving. The team’s artistic directors, Lee and Linda Wakefield, combine athletic and aesthetic qualities for each of the dances they choreograph, knowing that ballroom is an ever-changing art form. “Ballroom is very competitive, athletic, artistic, and, like any other sport, has its challenges,” said Linda Wakefield. “While the categories of dances have remained the same, the ways these dances are performaed constantly change. The innovations and creativity behind the technique, style, and costuming of each dance is what makes ballroom so addicting. It never stays the same.” This fast-paced world of ballroom is reflected on the stage as the Wakefields continuously enhance their numbers to reflect current trends and world events. Every number has a story, and every story has an element of energy, surprise, and intrigue that makes audience members want to stand up and dance along. For two weeks in June the Ballroom Dance Company will hold nightly performances in Nauvoo, Illinois. In preparation the Wakefields are using a mixture of visualization, theme, and emotion to create unforgettable numbers for their new show, Imagine. “It always starts with an idea,” said Linda. “The music will define the movement and what the dance should look like while the costuming creates a specific feeling for the piece. When these elements are combined, the storyline or idea becomes very clear to the audience, and artistically you just know it works.” Several examples from their current show display this successful process, including a rumba titled “Come Home Soon,” which is patterned as a tribute to those serving in the armed forces. This American number is contrasted by “Sands of Time,” an epic piece that was inspired from a movie score and resulted in an ethnic Persian-styled dance. The special gaming number “MicTendo” brings video game characters to the center of the ballroom floor. The variety of dances goes on to include a West Coast swing, a samba, a theatre arts piece, and the most contemporary waltz the company has ever performed. The order of the dances is essential to the show’s success. The Wakefields contrast the style of dances so the mood is constantly shifting. A show mixed with slower ballads and fast beats allows the audience enough time to absorb and fully appreciate what they’ve just experienced. “We put together a show for all ages,” said Linda. “There is something for everyone in this show, which is unusual for the performing arts. The music, movements, pace, emotion, look, and spirit of the show create a very full experience. We don’t dance to impress; we dance to captivate the audience and their imaginations.” Source: Performing Arts Management

Brigham Young University’s Contemporary Dance Theatre will perform “NOW,” an evening of choreographed performances that will also feature Bebe Miller’s acclaimed work “Prey” Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 27-29, at 7:30 p.m. at the Pardoe Theatre.

Brigham Young University will once again host the 2010 U.S. National Amateur Dancesport Championships, one of the nation's largest amateur ballroom dance competitions, Thursday through Saturday, March 11-13, in the Marriott Center.

by Angela Fischer

by Angela Fischer

by Angela Fischer

by Marissa BallantyneA cast of 164 Brigham Young University dancers will move to the rhythms of samba, swing and waltz during the 27th annual Ballroom Dance Company Concert, “Seize the Beat,” on Friday and Saturday, April 11-12, in the Marriott Center.

by Marissa Ballantyne

by Marissa Ballantyne

by Aaron Searle

by Aaron Searle

by Aaron Searle One of nation's largest amateur ballroom dance competitions

by Marissa Ballantyne