Ashley Miller
Assistant editor
The WTAMU dance ensemble is back on their toes and ready to perform. This year’s spring concert entitled “Dance in Motion” was inspired by an original piece of art by Chad Holiday, assistant professor of art.
“Holiday took a photo of me when I was an active dancer and interpretated it into an original work and that was what inspired the concert piece,” Leslie Meek, assistant professor of dance, said.
“Dance in Motion” will be held at 7:30 p.m., April 24-25 in the Branding Iron Theatre. The concert will open the night with the work of guest choreographers, Dennon and Sayhber Rawles.
The Rawles, based out of Los Angeles, have won numerous awards throughout their career but are most recognized for their choreography in “Staying Alive,” starring John Travolta.
Aside from doing their own choreography, the Rawles dance for the Steven Peck Jazz Company and have gained tremendous recognition.
Earlier in the semester, the Rawles only had three days to work with the WT dance ensemble on an original piece entitled “History Repeating.”
“It’s a very exciting dance,” Edward Truitt, director of dance, said.
It’s a fun powerhouse of a dance that is expressive of the genre and music and has a great sensuality.”
The concert will also include works by Leslie Meek, Crystal Bertrand, Edward Truitt and Travis Prokop.
Meek’s first work, “Monocular vision,” is a half evening long work that will portray images of telescopes.
Her second piece entitled, “Purple” is based on the sculpture “The Waltz,” by Camille Claudel and symbolizes a man and a woman’s embrace for one another.
“This is an exciting time and a time when the faculty can show off their work,” Meek said.
Bertrand is the academy director of the Lone Star Ballet and worked with the WT dance ensemble on two of her original works.
“We were going to have another guest artist come in, but she injured herself which caused a slight set back and had to pull my new 30-minute piece I had planned,” Truitt said.
Truitt is incorporating an older work of his own which has also been performed in Karnoyarsk and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Finally, the concert will conclude with Prokop’s work, “Our Trouble,” which was also chosen for performance at the American College Dance Festival Gala in March. This inclusion marks the first time for a WT student to be chosen in 15 years.
This contemporary dance by Prokop features seven WT dance students. Prokop has also been selected to appear on a dance TV show.
“We’re very excited about him being selected to appear on this show,” Truitt said.
We think he’ll do really well and we hope he makes it to the top.”
With the support of the Guest Lecture Series, WT dance program will also bring in an agent from McDonald Selznick and Associates, the top dance agency in the country.
MSA also represents producers, directors and packages talent for film, TV and stage productions.
Shelli Margheritis will view the show and do a general lecture from 4-5 p.m., April 24 in Mary Moody Northen Hall room 189, about the business side of the entertainment world.
The lecture is free and open to anyone that is interested.
Another lecture will be held on Saturday and is exclusively for dance majors.
“Most dance programs don’t bring agents out,” Truitt said.
It’s really valuable to the students to get the opportunity to talk to them.”
The WT dance ensemble started working on the chorography last fall and has put in an expansive amount of time.
“It has been the dancer’s flexibility, ability and willingness to adapt and put in extra hours for these last minute dances,” Truitt said.
I enjoy seeing their willingness to work hard and their commitment to excel.”
The students train year round.
“They work their tails off,” Meek said.
We are really blessed to have talented dancers whose first love is to be on the stage.”
Tickets are free for WT students, faculty and staff if they present a valid Buff Gold Card, $10 for general admission and $7 for seniors and children.