contemporary dance

After 55 Years in the de Jong Concert Hall, BYU Department of Dance’s World of Dance To Be Performed in Marriott Center and Off-Campus

BYU Dance Faculty and Students Attend Conference, Make Interfaith Connections through Contemporary Choreography

Students From the College of Fine Arts and Communications (CFAC) Travel Nationally and Internationally to Gain Real-World Experience and Share Their Talents While Studying Abroad, Competing, Interning & Performing

BYU Students Learned How to Use Dance to Express Their Motivations, Values and Dreams.

The Dance Concert Will Be the First of its Kind and Will Showcase Faculty Research, Mentored Student Projects and Innovative Themes

Gibney Company, a Dance Company Dedicated to Bringing Dance to the Community, Will Perform at BYU This February

BYU’s DancEnsemble Explores Themes of Togetherness, Isolation and More Through Student Choreography

The video continues a collaboration with NYC-based choreographer Jesse Obremski and pays tribute to graduating seniors

How campus went quiet, yet BYU continued on, during the coronavirus pandemic Day by day—and sometimes hour by hour—elements of the BYU experience were suddenly shifting, disrupting everything from budding relationships to Sunday meetings to major university events, including BYU Women’s Conference and April graduation ceremonies—both canceled. All NCAA competition was suspended. Meanwhile professors and campus IT personnel scrambled to take BYU entirely online by Wednesday, March 18. Many faculty turned to the video program Zoom to stream or record instruction, innovating new ways to teach hands-on subjects like dance, music, and nursing or to simulate lab research remotely. Read the full article by Michael R. Walker at magazine.byu.edu.

Dance education major Daylin Williams shares how her experience with serious injury has made her stronger

Graduating

Shill — a native of Cottonwood Heights, Utah — will graduate with a BFA in dance on April 24, 2020

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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