Professors and Students from the Departments of Dance, Theatre and Media Arts, Design and the School of Music Collaborated on Interdisciplinary, Immersive Performances as an Exploration of Utah Landscapes
Dance, music, film and nature came together in a unique and powerful way through “Within the Canyon,” a mixed media experience of motion and sound put on in collaboration between dance faculty Keely Song Glenn and music faculty Michelle Kesler. After two performances on site, in Leprechaun Canyon in October 2024, the students performed on campus in the Box Theatre in an immersive 270-degree projection and 360-degree sound environment on April 11–12, 2025.
The “Within the Canyon” project also involved professors outside of the College of Fine Arts and Communications (CFAC). Two biology professors were consulted and helped the students better understand Southern Utah’s vegetation and plant life, adding a rich, tactile dimension to the experience. “This cross-disciplinary project is at the forefront of sound and visual exploration and experience,” said Song. “It is an innovative collaboration highlighting the interdisciplinary research within our college.”
Song and Kesler commissioned two composers, Raven Chacon and Kurt Rohde, to create an original cello piece to be played by Kesler and BYU student cellist, Grace Snow. “This piece is modeled loosely on the Baroque dance suites that the Bach Cello Suites are built upon,” said Rohde. “It is meant to be performed outdoors, in a canyon setting, using the natural acoustics to allow the sound of the two cellists to be rich, resonant and singing.” Rohde said that he has a deep connection and love for the Utah landscape and dedicated the piece to Kesler in gratitude for including him in the special project.
Chacon’s compositional approach sets aside traditional concerns of melody, pitch, tuning and rhythm, and instead centers on patterns and sonic landscapes. “Chacon’s music parallels how canyons are formed — natural patterns over long periods of time,” said Kesler. “This project is about connecting our art with nature; drawing deeper meaning; exploring new acoustics, new collaborators, new sounds and new ways to explore our relationship to the land with our art.”
Kesler also collaborated with BYU music faculty Kevin Anthony and his composition students to create an immersive, interactive 360-degree sound for the Box Theatre. Both professors from the Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Michael Kraczek designed the lighting for the performances and Matthew Kupferer did the projection designs. The project reached the Department of Design, with faculty member Luke Gibson creating motion graphics. Along with motion graphics, images by BYU dance alumni McCall McClellan were used in a 270-degree projection. Students from all three disciplines — dance performance, music and composition — played an active role in the performance.
Dance and music majors began working on the project in June 2024, traveling to Southern Utah to workshop their ideas for “Within the Canyon.” Students and faculty created movements inspired and informed by the canyon's walls and floor, drawing on both their visual impact and the surrounding environment. “The research explored the aural landscape, the canyon’s resonance and the experience of sound moving through its space,” said Kesler.
They returned in October to perform on location. Upon returning, Song recalled that they were struck by how vastly different the canyons appeared due to erosion and seasonal changes. “This experience left an impactful impression, reinforcing the realization that nature is continually changing and in motion,” said Song. “Although I had hiked the canyon many times over the years, it was only through the practice of co-creating with the environment that I began to notice its dynamic changes. It served as a powerful reminder of our own continual movement and transformation.”
Dance BFA McKinley Butterfield recalls digging through sand and climbing up canyon walls as a way to be intertwined with nature as she and her classmates danced. She noted the seismic shift from creating movement in the canyon to then performing it in a theater. “It was a very immersive experience that helped us ground ourselves,” Butterfield said. “The process of working in the canyon before coming to the theatre allowed us to find unique movement ideas that would not have been generated if we had started in the studio.”
Song’s experience with the students in the canyon reminded her of the scriptures where we are commanded to “be still” so we can see God’s miracles in and around us. She views the collaboration with the environment, including witnessing its transformation, as a “powerful and compassionate act.”
The project came full circle with the performance in the Box, which included drone, time-lapse and 270-degree footage. “The re-creation of the performance offered fresh perspective and expanded the project’s scope,” said Kesler. “It fostered a deep sense of connection, making us feel part of something far greater than ourselves and reaffirmed our faith in a higher, godly perspective.”