department of dance

With a focus on pushing the frontiers of contemporary dance, Portland-based dance company NW Dance Project is one of the premier groups pioneering new choreography and methods in the American contemporary dance scene. BYU dance students and faculty were excited to learn from the company's innovative approach to current dance trends in a masterclass with members of the ensemble during their recent campus visit. “The professors in the contemporary area have a philosophy that we want to model for our students,” said contemporary dance professor Kate Monson. “Taking opportunities to learn from different sources is really important. That includes a physical embodiment and not just watching.”

Forty years ago, a group of Brigham Young University student performers traveled to China and put on a show that made history. This summer, the University is celebrating that anniversary with a return tour that highlights the relationship BYU and China have shared since 1979. Following the aftermath of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, BYU’s initial tour made the Young Ambassadors and Living Legends among the first Western performing arts groups to enter the country. The tour was the idea of then-BYU President Dallin H. Oaks, who had met with President Spencer W. Kimball of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1978. President Kimball spoke highly of China’s high standards and family values and upon returning from the meeting, President Oaks asked BYU officials to begin making plans for a performing arts group to go to China, despite no established U.S.-Chinese diplomatic relations at that time. But the diplomatic relations did happen in early 1979 and the show fell into place. Newly-launched China Central Television asked to broadcast BYU’s live performance and, even after the group had left the country, the channel continued to rebroadcast the performance. In the past 39 years, BYU performing groups have returned to China 28 more times. Read the full story at news.byu.edu.

The Ballroom Dance Company will perform their “Ode to Joy” and “Ritmo del Corazon” medleys for the last time On April 12 and 13, 160 students will come together to present “BYU’s Ballroom Dance in Concert.” The performance promises to showcase equal measures of quality dancing and theatrical spectacle. “Typically in the discipline of ballroom dance, you see couples dancing,” said Curt Holman, artistic director of BYU’s Ballroom Dance Company. “It’s really rare to take a group of people and create an ensemble piece that has eight couples. In some of our beginning teams, we have 16 couples on the floor. When you’re able to do that, it becomes very entertaining for the audience.” Read more at this BYU Dance article.

“Ballet in Concert” brings “Sleeping Beauty” and modern masterpieces by Balanchine and Arpino to audiences. The BYU Department of Dance hopes to introduce new fans to the splendor of ballet with the performance of “Sleeping Beauty” on Feb 28. “Ballet, by and large through the ages, has been removed from the general public,” said Shayla Bott, the concert’s artistic director. “You’re seeing dancers that move in a way that makes the general public think, ‘I can’t even walk like that, much less do what they’re doing.’ But, we really try to make it fun.” Read more here.

Dancers can struggle with eating disorders and perfectionism, but dancing environments can play a major role in helping dancers be mentally healthy. BYU dance professors are striving to make dance environments positive and healthy for dance students. While the need to be thin and “perfect” is a common mindset in the majority of the dance world, things are much different at BYU, according to BYU ballet administrator and BYU ballet artistic director Shayla Bott. Click here to read more.

The high-energy concert features original choreography by guest artists alongside Martha Graham’s historically significant “Dark Meadow” BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre (CDT) will celebrate spirituality and the human experience through movement when the company’s Pardoe Theatre concert opens on Feb. 7. Contemporary dance is an ever-evolving field, employing innovative techniques to explore and express broader messages in a way that words cannot. Though the CDT performance will take audiences through a range of genres, moods and themes — from home and family to sentient robots — the connecting thread between each piece is the beauty and dignity of the human family. Read more here.

Walking around campus in a durag and snapback, with tattoos peeking out from under his sleeves, Marc Cameron doesn’t look like a typical BYU instructor. Cameron is proficient in most hip-hop dance forms but has earned the most fame through popping, a street style dance where dancers flex their muscles in time with the music to create a popping effect. The two-time world champion popper teaches students about hip-hop dance forms and the culture surrounding them. Read more here.

Brigham Young University’s highly acclaimed Folk Dance ensemble is gearing up for another holiday showing of Christmas Around the World, set for Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the Marriott Center in Provo. The event isn’t your only chance to see the group perform, however, thanks to a new video of the Hopak released to the Ensemble’s YouTube channel Nov. 17. According to the video’s description, it features “the National dance of Ukraine, Hopak, performed in Utah by the Brigham Young University International Folk Dance Ensemble. Read more here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLZJf7P-T4o&feature=youtu.be When Keely Song moved to Utah in 2016, she was jarred by what she called the “apocalyptic” talk about air quality during the state’s notorious inversions. So when BYU announced in November it would be providing free UTA passes to students, employees and their families, the dance professor had an idea. “I wanted to create a work that motivated people — including myself, who commutes from Salt Lake City — to use public transit, while being educational and entertaining,” she said. “I didn’t understand how hazardous the air quality is on a red day, and that by limiting our emissions through carpooling, using public transit or not driving at all, we could actually greatly improve the air quality.” Continue reading on news.byu.edu.

BYU sports fans are used to seeing their heroes on the field or court, but BYU dancers helped athletes experience a whole new world on the dance floor. Ballroom dancers Jai Knighton, Nichole Udall and Brodie Wray teamed up with athletes to compete in a two-part ballroom dance battle competition that aired on BYU Sports Nation as part of “Between the LYnes.” Each ballroom dancer was paired with an athlete and tasked with coming up with a 30-second routine. For the athletes it was their first real experience with ballroom dancing. For the dancers it was a step outside of their normal routine. “Usually I just dance with people who know how to dance,” said Nichole Udall, a member of the Ballroom Dance Team. “It’s fun to work with people who have never danced.” However, teaching people with no prior experience presented a few difficulties. The challenge for Udall was choreographing a routine in the 30 or so minutes they were given. Despite being a dancer, Udall said that her lack of experience choreographing made the task “a little stressful.” However, she said the fact they got to make it fun made it a lot easier. Both Udall and Knighton agreed that despite a lack of formal training, all the athletes involved were up to the task. “My favorite part was seeing how dance made the athletes excited. They were so invested,” said Knighton. “The athletes are already motivated and dedicated people, so it’s easy to work with them,” said Udall. “They get down to business and they’re ready to learn and do well.” Knighton said teaching the athletes was easy once he figured out how they moved naturally. “You would connect the steps to how they move. You wouldn’t want to conform their movements to the dance, instead you fit the routine to them,” he said. For example, basketball player Luke Worthington faked a basketball shot during his routine and football defensive linebacker Corbin Kaufusi worked in a moonwalk. Meanwhile Sabrina Davis, a member of the Women’s Soccer Team, related the samba routine she learned to the salsa music she is used to listening to. “Dance is something everyone can relate to,” said Knighton as he explained why this segment was important. He said that compared to other genres of dance, ballroom hasn’t had a lot of mainstream exposure and for a lot of people it is still ‘“new.” Knighton said even though BYU has one of the best ballroom dance programs in the country, most students here don’t know anything about the team or ballroom dance. “It was a good opportunity for people to be exposed to ballroom dancing,” said Knighton. He hopes this will lead to more people getting involved in it. “Most people know about BYU sports, but often exposure to the arts is minimal,” said Knighton. “Those who want to experience the arts will discover them because they go after it, but this was a good opportunity to mesh something that is really mainstream, like athletics, with the arts.” It turns out meshing dance with other interests is something both Knighton and Udall excel at. They’ve found a way to incorporate their love for dancing into the college experience, despite having completely unrelated majors. Knighton, an exercise science major, said most of the other members of the Ballroom Dance Team are not dance majors either. Luckily, none of them let that stop them from participating in dance. “We each decided that we wanted to have dance be apart of our lives, that it wasn’t just going to be on the side.” “You just do it,” said Knighton. “If you really have a passion and a drive there shouldn’t be anything to stop you. For me, dance is the thing that helps me get away from it all.” Udall said when she started out in the nursing major she was worried she would not be able to balance dance and the demands of her major. She said the key was planning ahead with both her professors and her coaches. “Usually when you have conflicts, it’s either due to not planning well or conflicts you can’t avoid,” said Udall. “However, if you just work with your coaches, directors and teachers ahead of time, it’s attainable.” Both dancers agree that if a student is interested in the arts, they should explore the options BYU provides. “You don’t need to strictly be just one thing,” said Knighton. “If you want to find other things to do outside of your major then you can, BYU has provided so many opportunities to be involved in the arts.” Udall says you just have to go for it. “Always do something that you love,” said Udall.

Convocation for the College of Fine Arts and Communications will take place at 11 a.m. on August 17

I had no idea how a weeklong experience in New York City with the BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre (CDT) could help me decide this was where I will pursue an MFA after graduating from BYU. While we were in New York, we brushed shoulders with professional dancers and choreographers, which opened my eyes to all the opportunities available to me. Based out of the Gibney Dance Center, we took master classes in contemporary, Limon technique and contemporary partnering. These opportunities provided me with valuable real-world insights into pursuing a professional career in NYC. The classes were incredible and pushed me beyond what I have done in my college career. Our CDT director Nathan Balser asked our team, “If you could take a class from anyone, who would it be?” Without hesitation I responded, “Kate Weare.” Although we didn’t meet Weare, I was able to take a class from one her dancers. It was an experience I will always look back at and pull from. We got a behind the scenes Broadway master class and learned the choreography from “Wicked” before seeing the show that night. It was a dream to experience what it would be like to perform on Broadway in one of my all-time favorite shows. Along with taking classes from accomplished dancers, my favorite part of the trip was seeing so many shows. We watched the Limon Dance Company in the historic Joyce Theater where the highlight of the evening was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Limon’s iconic piece, “Missa Brevis.” Seeing that piece performed in the Joyce Theater was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As a company we also saw “Then She Fell,” which is an immersive dance theatre experience. “Then She Fell” was breathtaking and uniquely beautiful. I took advantage of our time to see a variety of other shows and performances. While I was in New York, I was able to tour graduate dance programs in the city. I realized this is where I want to continue my education as a MFA student. Every single class, show and even the atmosphere of New York City was life-changing and I am grateful for the opportunity to be a student here at BYU and to be a member of this amazing dance company. **Noelani’s husband, Adam, is also a member of CDT.

The video series provides information about the history behind Latin American, Polynesian and Native American danceThe choreography and regalia featured in BYU Living Legends productions are derived from revered histories and origins. In an effort to share these legends, the company has initiated a new video series explaining the dances and regalia.“We not only want to further explain the legends or origin stories of the dances,” said Shanoah Zendejas, the Living Legends’ social media manager and assistant to their tour coordinator, “but also want to explain the significance of what the dancers wear. Living Legends has had the unique opportunity to help educate people from various backgrounds about the cultures they represent. We wanted to share that same opportunity with our online audience, whether they have the opportunity to see the show live or not.”The idea for this explanation video series was conceived a few years ago during the company’s tour to Tonga, New Zealand and Samoa. A member of the group suggested they do a series explaining the dances, especially those that were not Polynesian, in order to connect their audience members who were less familiar with Latin American and Native American dance.Zendejas explained that the “Seasons” production has brief explanations for each dance during the performances, but there are deeper histories and stories connected to the choreography and regalia. The introduction of a video series has made them able to turn this desire into a reality. They produced their first video of the series, featuring the Native American Grass regalia and dance, this past November. “We were wrapping up Native American Heritage Month and had the opportunity to do a fun video for the Rock Your Mocs Movement, and that's when we started filming for the series,” said Zendejas.The grass dance is featured in the 'Season of Rebirth' section of “Seasons”. The story of the Native American Grass Dance is a story of healing. Because the New Year was just weeks away, and with the story in mind, the company members could not think of a better dance to start the series off with.“We also wanted to make sure that we explained the meaning of the regalia, or what the dancers wear. Everything has a purpose in Native American culture. That is why people wearing feathers and headdresses as costumes is such a big deal to Native Americans. Every part of the regalia and the way they dance has meaning to it. We wanted to honor and show respect to the Native American culture and dance.”Zendejas emphasized that a big purpose for this video series is to encourage young audience members to learn more about and understand their own culture. She shared that many members of Living Legends, and many youth, grow up not knowing much about their culture and the ensemble has provided a way for them to learn about their own culture and others as well. The company wants to encourage anyone and everyone to learn more about their culture and where they come from.“We want to explain more dances this year, and in years to come, to our audience,” said Zendejas. “Audiences can look forward to learning more about all of the cultures we represent and their people's history as well as more about the meaning of our numbers and why they belong in certain ‘seasons.’ In the next few weeks, we will be releasing a video explaining the Maori Haka that is performed in our show.”To follow the video series, follow BYU Living Legends on Facebook.

By making the world his campus, Benja Cuque is using his training to bless the lives of others through dance

Written by Kaitlyn Bancroft. Visit the site here.

Theatre Ballet dancers receive experiential learning through hands-on rehearsals with an Arpino masterwork

Kyran Brown shares his highlights from the Living Legends Spring 2017 tour The BYU Living Legends presented their show “Seasons” during a three week tour in May throughout the Midwestern United States. They performed 11 shows across Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska. Living Legends member, Kyran Brown, participated on the tour and was struck by the variety of audiences the ensemble performed for, “from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and a Latino ward in Chicago to a well-represented Polynesian audience in Independence, Missouri.” “We were truly able to meet and befriend American brothers and sisters throughout nine states. After every show, it was a humbling moment to leave the stage and mingle with the audience as we were embraced with hugs and kisses on the cheek from entertained spectators. Some, with tears in their eyes, sincerely thanked us for coming to their town and sharing our talents with them.” Another meaningful experience for Brown was visiting the Liberty Jail Historic Site in Liberty, Missouri. While there, the Living Legends performed a song that they often sing during devotionals. He said, “While we were singing, the Spirit filled the room, which was accompanied by the testifying words of the song which talked about a humble prayer that the Prophet Joseph Smith expressed in order to overcome trials he frequently faced. “I remember the main vocalist who starts the song was overwhelmed with the Spirit for she had to stop and compose herself a couple of times before she was able to utter a line. By the end of the song, many members of the group had tears in their eyes, including myself, because the biggest emotion we want to share with anyone we come in contact with, is happiness.” For Brown, the tour was more than just performing. “Performing was actually one of the shorter events we did on tour. We conducted outreach events for different communities, performed service for Midwestern locals and laughed with host families who invited us in their homes. Being able to participate in stage set-up and take-down is another part of the tour that one would not usually consider as a time to turn to the Lord and serve those who technologically control the show for us. We are always supporting others, whether it is on stage or in public when we are exploring town sites. We love losing ourselves in service and we strive to do all we can to turn hearts.' To view more pictures and moments from their Midwest tour, visit the BYU Living Legends Facebook page.

Ensemble members share favorite memories from their Spring tour