department of dance

Dancers Spencer Crawford and Jessie Dayton share their highlights of performing and volunteering during the tour to Chile and Argentina

As part of the 2016-2017 BRAVO! season, BYU Arts will be hosting the Limón Dance Company. The group will perform Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pardoe Theatre of the Harris Fine Arts Center. The program will feature a special guest performance by BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre. Producer and Presenter of Performing Arts at BYU, Jeffrey Martin, said BYU is thrilled to bring fine dancers and “time-honored choreography” to campus for students and the community to experience in a live performance. Limón Dance Company is known as one of the legendary companies associated with modern dance in the United States. Founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, the Limón Dance Company has lead American modern dance since its inception and is considered one of the world’s greatest ensembles. The company’s performances include classic works as well as new commissions from contemporary choreographers. “We seek to expose our students to the foundational movements of all dance styles during their time studying dance at BYU,” Martin said. “When we have the opportunity to showcase world-class dancers practicing the principles and techniques our students learn in the classroom and dance studio, we are able to give our students a tremendous advantage in their own training and development.” Under the direction of assistant professor Nathan Balser, CDT will collaborate with Limón Dance Company on this program. BYU’s dancers will perform an excerpt of Jose Limon’s piece, “A Choreographic Offering,” during the performance. “The Limón dancers are some of the finest in the country, bringing with them myriad expertise and excellence in training and performance,” Balser said. “For our students to rub shoulders with these dancers is not only uncommon, but of great worth and value to their own emergence as dance artists.” Balser said the CDT dancers have spent more than 50 hours learning and perfecting the Limón piece in preparation for the performance. One of these dancers is Adam Schraedel. He said the group is excited to dance with one of the most famous modern companies in the world. “We practiced for four weeks with an alumnus member of the company to learn and perfect our piece, ‘A Choreographic Offering,’” Schraedel said. “It’s a challenging style that many of us have little experience with, but it’s a very beautiful piece and I think we have learned a lot.” Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. Tickets and Show Details Performance Dates and Times: Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. Location: Pardoe Theatre, Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU Price: $35, BYU Alumni/Senior Citizen $32, BYU ID/Student ID $25 Tickets: Available in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422- 2981 or online at byuarts.com

Five of the Brigham Young University’s Department of Dance premier dance groups will perform during an assembly in the Marriott Center on Nov. 8 at 11:05 a.m. The Ballroom Dance Company, Living Legends, Theatre Ballet, the International Folk Dance Ensemble and Contemporary Dance Theatre will all perform. Each dance group will present choreography demonstrating how dance can be used to inspire, imagine, reflect, celebrate, remember or express with the theme of “Together, let’s dance—just for the joy of it.” “The assembly celebrates one of the cheerful ways we express our faith and hope through a variety of expressions of joy through dance,” said Marilyn Berrett, Department of Dance chair. Berrett also referenced the words of President Russell M. Nelson who recently spoke about joy in the October General Conference. “That’s it! Saints can be happy under every circumstance,” said Nelson. “We can feel joy even while having a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year! My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. The BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications is home to the largest and most versatile dance department in the United States. For more than 50 years, BYU students have shared a spirit of joy with people worldwide through the creative expression of dance. Performances strive to benefit and support members of the Church in distant lands, and can be seen on campus throughout the year. The BYU Department of Dance is also pleased to present the BYU DanceSport Championships on Nov. 11-12, BYU’s dancEnsemble concert on Nov. 11-12 and the Senior Dance Projects Showcase on Nov. 19. Performance Date: Nov. 8 Time: 11:05 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Location: Marriott Center, BYU Price: Free

The BYU Department of Dance presents the Ballet Showcase Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., in the Dance Studio Theatre of the Richards Building. The showcase features eleven BYU ballet dancers performing beautiful, engaging choreography by faculty and students in both classical and contemporary ballet. BYU’s touring company, Theatre Ballet, as the guest artists, will be presenting two ballets on the program also, one classical and one contemporary. 'The dancers face an extreme contrast in styles which is challenging their technique and artistry to the limit,” said Suzi Wood, artistic director. “They are definitely rising to that challenge, and by reaching inside themselves I think they are finding great personal growth emotionally, intellectually and spiritually as they have been using the talents they have been blessed with.' The showcase includes dance majors as well as a variety of other majors in the university and range from freshmen to seniors. There will be a wide range of styles from a couple of classical ballets from 1832 and 1845, and Petipa, through examples of the style of Balanchine neoclassicism to today's extreme contemporary ballet choreography. Performance Date: Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: Dance Studio Theatre, Stephen L. Richards Building, BYU Price: $6 Tickets

Brigham Young University’s performing group Living Legends recently returned from a three-week tour in the Pacific Islands where they dazzled appreciative audiences with their show “Seasons” and built lasting friendships through service rendered at schools, hospitals, care centers and other venues. “What they brought to the South Pacific will long be remembered,” said the Rev. Maauga Motu of the National Council of Churches in Samoa. “What they performed will live forever.” The message from the performers was one of love, peace and unity among all peoples and cultures. More than 16,500 children, teenagers, parents, university students, dignitaries, diplomats, religious leaders and members of the media were entertained and served during the nine performances and 19 private outreach events during the tour. READ MORE>>>>

Every three years, the BYU Ballroom Dance Company competes at the British Open Ballroom Dance Championships in Blackpool, England. The team has a long history of dominating this prestigious event, having won the competition a record 22 times. However, 2016 would be the first year the team would perform under new directors Curt and Sharon Holman, who took over the Ballroom Dance Company in the summer of 2015. At the end of Spring semester, the team began to prepare both the Latin and Ballroom medleys for Blackpool — meeting from 7:00am to 2:00pm six days/week. The group’s hard work was rewarded when they were crowned champions in both Ballroom and Latin categories.

Championship formation dancing, breath-taking lifts and spins-all performed in a seemingly endless stream of shimmering costumes-no one does it better than the Ballroom Dance Company. The first American team ever to win the prestigious British Formation Championships, a feat they have repeated an unprecedented 22 times.Over 160 ballroom dancers take the stage and dazzle the audience with breathtaking costumes and creative choreography. This concert promises to thrill audiences with a fast-paced performance of ballroom and Latin dance in a theatrical setting. TICKETSApril 8 — 9, 7:30 PMApril 9 2:00 PMLocation: Marriott CenterTime: 7:30 PMMinimum Age: 6Cost: $16

Brigham Young University’s Living Legends will perform a celebration of Latin American, Native American and Polynesian song and dance in a concert at BYU’s de Jong Concert Hall on Feb. 5-6 and Mar. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12, with discounts available for alumni, students, employees, senior citizens and groups. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. Living Legends combines a dynamic repertoire of Native American choreography with the color and vitality of Polynesian and Latin American dance styles. Traditions come to life as talented descendants of these cultures weave together authentic choreography, intricate costumes and heart-pounding music into one captivating show. The “Seasons” program will include a kaleidoscope of culture, with dances and songs from Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Fiji, Hawaii, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga and the United States. Living Legends is run by the department of dance. The group has 44 members, made up of 36 performers and a technical crew of 8. All performers are of Polynesian, Latin or Native American heritage and are selected after a rigorous audition process. PHOTO: BYU LIVING LEGENDS, FROM THE “PEARL OF THE SEA,” THE RHYTHMS OF LIFE ARE PRESENTED THROUGH THE TAMURE AND STACCATO BEATS OF THE TOERE DRUMS. KAMERON HO CHING AND KIANA WILSON PERFORM THE TRADITIONAL TAHITIAN OTE’A TAVEVO, OTE’A HOPU. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK A. PHILBRICK/BYU. COPYRIGHT BYU PHOTO 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Brigham Young University’s Theatre Ballet premieres Alice in Wonderland, an original, full-length ballet that brings Lewis Carroll’s beloved fantasy novel to life with Tchaikovsky’s enduring music in the de Jong Concert Hall on Jan. 28-30, at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on Saturday, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15, with discounts available for alumni, students, employees, senior citizens and groups. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. This premiere of the ballet takes audience members on an exciting journey through Wonderland. A visual feast, the production features beautiful new sets, stunning costumes, expressive makeup and playful choreography designed and created by students as mentored by faculty and staff Priscilla Hao, Michael Handley, Shani Robison, Benjamin Sanders and Rory Scanlon. When Robison, Theatre Ballet’s artistic director, began preparation three years ago, she felt it necessary that the ballet be a collaborative experience for students as to involve them on a deeper, creative level. “We felt that a shift in the production paradigm, wherein the students were actually the designers, choreographers and creators could offer a real-life experience to catapult them from their BYU experience into the real world,” Robison said. “I felt that Alice in Wonderland would be a unique and perfect opportunity for this experiment as it offers so many interesting characters, places and an endless palate of creative possibilities.” To this end, Theatre Ballet received substantial grants from the Laycock Center for Student Collaboration and the Mary Lou Fulton Endowment, and partnered with guest performers from the Ballet Showcase Company, BYU Children Creative Dance Program and dancers from around campus who auditioned specifically for this production. In addition, student choreographers, make-up designers, set designers, prop designers, costume designers, lighting designers, graphic and illustrative designers, a sound designer and a stage manager went to work with mentors to engage in a creative process unlike what they have ever done before. “This is the first time anything like this has been done at BYU on this scale,” said Robison said. “It’s not just Theatre Ballet, it’s a campus-wide production.” Prior to the performances, the annual tradition of the annual Prince and Princess Party continues as princes and princesses of all ages can dress in their royal best and meet Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Queen of Hearts. Tickets and Show Details Performance Dates and Times: Jan. 28-30 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee on Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. Location: de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU Price: $15 (discounts for senior citizens, BYU students, groups and alumni) Tickets: Available in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com PHOTO: Riley Duck as Alice. Photo by Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo, All Rights Reserved.

Experience the wonder and splendor of music and dance as internationally acclaimed Brigham Young University performing groups take the stage in Salt Lake City with BYU Winterfest 2016. Over the course of several weekends the Contemporary Dance Theatre, Vocal Point, Noteworthy, International Folk Dance Ensemble, Living Legends, and Ballroom Dance Company will dazzle audiences with performances showcasing a variety of artistic tastes. BYU Winterfest 2016 provides entertainment for audiences of all ages. As part of Temple Square Performances, Winterfest concerts will be held in the Conference Center Theater. Read more >>>>

This year’s “Christmas Around the World” celebration at Brigham Young University–featuring the International Folk Dance Ensemble and sponsored by the BYU Department of Dance–will take place in the Marriott Center Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5, at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets are $10-20, with discounts available for alumni, students, employees, senior citizens and groups. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. This year’s theme, “The Gift,” will be demonstrated in a performance of more than 150 student dancers, singers and musicians in colorful costumes who bring their talents to share the world’s Christmas traditions. The program will feature dances and music from dozens of countries across the globe including China, Croatia, Haiti, Mexico and Palestine. In her fifth year as artistic director, Jeanette Geslison cites the students as the heart and soul of this annual tradition. “In this production we journey, as the Wise Men of old, through different areas of the world as we eventually end in the Holy Land,” said Geslison. “We celebrate and honor cultural diversity through principles of love and goodwill. These cultural presentations are truly gifts at this time of year.” This performance will feature International Folk Dance Ensemble and guest musical performers will include Mountain Strings, BYU Men’s Chorus and the Intermountain Symphony Orchestra.

BYU Alumnus Shaun Parry not only gives back to the community, but shows students how they can as well. Dance Education student, Kyla Threlfall, had the opportunity to work with Shaun Parry in India as she volunteered for Promethean Spark International, the organization Parry founded. She spent the winter semester of 2014 teaching dance, using methodology Parry taught her. Threlfall first heard of Parry’s India program because her sister was in Parry’s ward in New York City. She shared the information with Threlfall, knowing her interest in dance education, and Threlfall jumped on the opportunity to volunteer. Threlfall’s experience led her to teaching classes at a boarding school in Tamul Nadu for kids from kindergarten to ninth grade. She was the only one teaching the dance classes while other volunteers focused on medical assistance and other service projects. She worked closely with Parry on implementing life skills into dance lessons. “We would try role plays of figuring out how I would add in a life skill to a simple movement,” Threlfall said. From this experience Threlfall learned how to be vocal about what the students were learning. She explained that if an exercise required teamwork, she would make sure the students knew that what they were doing was exhibiting teamwork. She used this to have them think of ways to use teamwork in their everyday lives. “The performing arts inherently teaches life skills, sometimes they just needed help recognizing it,” she said. In India, society tells people with leprosy that they cannot do anything worthwhile in their life because they are “untouchable,” Threllfall said. Parry showed her the importance of changing that perception. “He taught me that a major part of my job was ... to let them know that with hard work they can accomplish their dreams,” Threllfall said. As a Dance Education major, Threlfall hopes to implement the teachings from this experience in her future career. Her philosophy goes beyond creating good dancers, but creating good people. “After learning from Shaun, I now have a foundation to use with my future students,” she said. FEATURE PHOTO: Kyla Threlfall and the LifeDance Company.

The Brigham Young University BRAVO! series presents the National Dance Company of Siberia, in the de Jong Concert Hall, on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 - $30, with discounts available for alumni, students, employees and senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981, or online at byuarts.com. Hailing from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, the National Dance Company of Siberia has enthralled audiences worldwide since 1960. Coordinating more than fifty dancers in striking costumes, the artistic director, Vladmir Moisevev, leads the company as they exhibit the rich traditions and folklore of Siberia. Their performances captures the heart of the Siberian soul with original melodies from Vladimir Kornev, the company’s music director, and choreography by the company’s founder, Mikhail Godenko. 'Our community stands uniquely prepared to appreciate the talents of this company of dancers because we value cultural exploration and discovery,' said Jeffrey Martin, producer of performing arts for the College of Fine Arts and Communications and presenter of the BRAVO! series. 'Many of us learn foreign languages, participate in international study abroad programs, and, of course, spend time overseas in missionary service.' This performance is sponsored by BRAVO! Professional Performing Arts at BYU, the university’s concert series that hosts world-renowned guest artists from across the globe. Performance Date: Thurs, Oct. 1, 2015 Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU Price: $20 (with discounts for senior citizens, BYU students, employees and alumni) Tickets: Available in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com

The American Folk Dance Ensemble arrived in Croatia and met with members of the Zagreb LDS Branch to perform American dances. The group is headed to Karlovac, Croatia for a folk dance festival with dance groups from Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia and Polynesia. The American Folk Dance Ensemble arrived safely in Zagreb, Croatia on July 3rd. After a pleasant day of sightseeing at historical sites, the Folk Dancers met that evening with members of the Zagreb LDS Branch. The Folk Dance Ensemble performed several American dances, after which they danced with the members, learning simple “pioneer” dances taught by Colleen West. One of the branch members brought a friend to the activity who had previously danced professionally with the “Lado” Croatian Dance Ensemble. He taught everyone Croatian dances, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The group is now headed to Karlovac, Croatia to participate in a folk dance festival with other dance groups from Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia and Polynesia. The group is now headed to Karlovac, Croatia to participate in a folk dance festival with other dance groups from Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia and Polynesia. Source: Performing Arts Management

Contemporary Dance Theatre students spent a rewarding exchange with the Young Single Adults of the Prague and Brno LDS branches. Dances were performed by CDT and then taught to the Czech members. The group is excited for the festivities of The New Prague Dance Festival this week. Landing in the Czech Republic on Friday morning was an exciting moment for members of Contemporary Dance Theatre (CDT). It meant after all the practice and preparation, they had arrived in Europe at last! The group is eager to share their dancing and expertise. After a quick check-in to their Prague hotel and lunch, the group set out on a trip into the countryside. In a little town, Dobrichovice, surrounded by cherry trees and wheat fields, the group spent 90 minutes with a group of orphan children at Flight’s Children’s Home. Together they toured the facility, exchanged English and Czech sayings, and practiced cartwheels and handstands. Afterwards, the BYU dancers performed several dances for the children including American dance styles, Lindy Hop and tap dancing. Then the children joined the CDT dancers in learning a simple yet fun-filled line dance. Many hugs and well wishes were shared during the reluctant goodbyes. Many hugs and well wishes were shared during the reluctant goodbyes. Next the group traveled to and toured the Karlstejn Castle, one of the homes of the 14th Century Bohemian King and Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV. The history lesson continued the next day as the group traveled to UNESCO sites in Kutna Hora to better understand medieval history. The Gothic cathedrals and bone church, Kostnice, reminded the students of the long and storied past of dedicated believers. Saturday evening, Contemporary Dance Theatre students spent a rewarding exchange with the Young Single Adults of the Prague and Brno LDS branches. Dances were performed by CDT and then taught to the Czech members. New friendships were begun that would be furthered the following morning as CDT joined the members of the Prague Branch in their Sunday services. The Branch extended themselves showing love and generosity towards the BYU performers by providing them a meal and attending their devotional that evening. The Mission President, James McConkie, conducted the devotional presented by the CDT dancers, which was well received. More reluctant goodbyes were had as the students left. President McConkie expressed gratitude and thanked the group for coming to visit the members in Prague. The group is excited for the festivities of The New Prague Dance Festival to commence on Monday. They look forward to sharing their talents and friendship with the other festival participants this coming week. Source: Performing Arts Management

Brigham Young University’s Young Ambassadors will perform “Heartsongs: Melodies of Love” Thursday through Saturday, March 5-7 in the de Jong Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. along with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets are $12, with discounts available to alumni, seniors and students, and can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone 801.422.2981 or online at byuarts.com. “Heartsongs: Melodies of Love,” highlights some of the world’s all-time favorite love songs in a vibrant musical journey through the rollercoaster of life. With show tunes from award-winning Broadway musicals “Cinderella,” “Singin’ In the Rain” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” along with international hits by The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Michael Bublé, Adele and Michael Jackson, the performance celebrates life’s unforgettable seasons of love in a spirited 90-minute showcase that is appropriate for family members of all ages. Wearing colorful costumes and filling the stage with a kaleidoscope of dance and musical styles, the Young Ambassadors’ concerts provide a glimpse of their unique vision of international understanding, born of decades of goodwill tours around the world. Dance styles range from tap to the syncopated rhythms of the Caribbean islands, while featuring the next generation of contemporary sounds and choreography. The 2013—2014 season locations for “Heartsongs: Melodies of Love” included performance halls throughout Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. The upcoming touring season includes performances in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Illinois. To commemorate the groups 45 years of world tours, The Young Ambassadors will be joined by group alumni and accompanied by a live ten-piece show band that features some of the university’s finest instrumental performers. These musicians’ animated performances enhance each number so audiences always get what they came for: a night of talent and entertainment in every facet of the performance. Over the past 45 years, the Young Ambassadors have shared their remarkable talent and energy in almost 70 countries. The talented group traveled to Australia in 2008 for a special three-week tour where they performed for the legislators in the Queensland State Parliament in Brisbane. The Young Ambassadors have also performed for heads of state in India, Britain, Jordan, Egypt, Japan and the United States. Since 2000, the Young Ambassadors have been to Brazil, Argentina, the 2002 Winter Olympics, Canada, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, twice to China, Tasmania, Africa, throughout Scandinavia and all over the United States. The Young Ambassadors represent the School of Music in cooperation with the Department of Dance from the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications. For more information and to download production photos, visit youngambassadors.byu.edu. Tickets and Show Details Performance Dates: March 5-7, 2015 Times: 7:30 p.m. (with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee) Location: de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU Price: $12 (with $4 off for students and $1 off for alumni and seniors) Tickets: Available at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone 801.422.2981 or visit byuarts.com. For a limited time, a discount two-for-one promotion code is available at the Young Ambassadors’ event page at BYUarts.com.

The Brigham Young University Department of Dance presents the Contemporary Dance Theatre in “Dance In Concert 40th Anniversary” Friday through Saturday, Feb. 20-21, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall, with an additional 2 p.m. matinee Saturday. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone 801.422.2981 or online at byuarts.com.

The internationally acclaimed performance group Living Legends will be holding open auditions for all interested Latin American, Polynesian and Native American full-time BYU students August 28-30, 2014.