This month, watch as the School of Dance harnesses the electric power of its alumni and faculty in Grounding.
Grounding features work by current University of Utah faculty along with returning alumni, and showcases exciting choreography in a variety of styles from musical theatre to contemporary ballet.
The concert opens with a work from U Theatre adjunct assistant professor Christine Moore (who is also a School of Dance alumna). The piece will be a sampling of choreography from some of Broadway's finest shows, including "Waitress," "Sweet Charity," and "Victor Victoria!”
Next is “Day 4,019,” choreographed by U Dance professor Natalie Desch. “At the beginning of this cast's time together, I led creative games that highlighted ideas from each dancer's history and life experiences to build new material,” said Desch. “I also drew from a past collaborative event in my own life, reinventing one section of a prior dance and integrating it into this present piece of choreography. The interplay between past and present has been ubiquitous in this process, as has been (happily) order and chaos.”
Following intermission is “Almost Arrivals,” conceptualized by U Dance alumna and current professor Molly Heller. This piece is an exploration of the nonlinear nature of grief— including both destruction and recreation.
The concert will end with a piece choreographed by U Dance alumna and current adjunct professor Sayoko Knode Peterson. This piece, titled “In Her Runes,” is inspired by the ancient runes of Norse religion, and the readings a diviner or oracle would perform with them.
“Grounding features the wide-ranging talents of the dancers in the School of Dance, and we appreciate not just the many hours spent in rehearsal, but the investment in the creative process to bring these pieces to life,” said concert director Christine McMillan.
Join the School of Dance in celebrating this homecoming of talent by attending Grounding.
Tickets for the show can be purchased at tickets.utah.edu and at the door. University of Utah students get free access with their student ID thanks to the Arts Pass program, which makes hundreds of arts experiences accessible to U students each year.
Performance Dates:
Nov. 14 | 5:30pm
*Nov. 15 | 7:30pm
*Nov. 16 | 2:00pm* & 7:30pm
*Nov. 21 | 5:30pm
Nov. 22 | 7:30pm
Nov. 23 | 2:00pm & 7:30pm
*these performances will be live-streamed