A season for dance

From tap to modern, students and staff will bring a variety of dance styles to the River Campus next week at "Fall for Dance," presented by the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Theatre and Dance.

Dr. Marc Strauss, faculty member and one of the show's choreographers, said this year's dance concert brings some upbeat, fun numbers.

"It's a typical dance concert. There's a wide variety of styles, all kinds of music," Straus said. "It's a wonderful mix as usual. Some are thought-provoking, but most are just fun."

The concert is scheduled to open with a high-energy tap number. Other styles to be performed include jazz, contemporary ballet and modern dance.

Strauss said the concert, as well as the department's other concert, "Spring Into Dance," is proving to be popular with crowds, and many audience members return every semester to see their favorite dancer or choreographer.

"They watch the progression," he said of the audience. "They see how the dancers grow as technicians and artists with each style they try on."

Strauss said the department has some strong male dancers this year, which allows for more partnering and duets, providing audiences with a different experience.

Like in years past, this year's concert features a mix of student and faculty choreography. While students are not required to audition choreography for the concert, all dance majors are required to take two semesters of choreography instruction, as well as one semester of movement analysis. Strauss said some students will always prefer performing to choreographing, but the classes are vital to a well-rounded dance curriculum.

There is no official theme for the concert, but there will be seven routines performed to the music of Queen.

"They're not the typical hits," Strauss said. "It's not 'We are the Champions' or 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' The audience may be scratching their heads."

In a news release issued by the department, concert artistic coordinator Michelle Contrino said the content varies each year based on choreographer inspiration.

"Dance is a unique art form where the human form is the medium and the message is translated without words," she said.

The concert allows students the chance to perform and create, while receiving feedback from faculty members.

"It is our goal as an educational system to not only educate our students in the many forms of choreographic choices, but also to provide our audience members with entertaining and thought provoking works of art," Contrino said.

Strauss said faculty, staff and students work hard to produce a concert and the performances are just part of the production.

"The audience only sees the tip of the iceberg of all the hard work that goes into it. There's the dancers, lighting, costumes, props," he said.

Auditions for the concert started the first week of the semester for faculty choreographers and the second week for students. Strauss said this year's concert features a strong freshman presence.

There are 45 dancers this year in the concert's 13 routines. While most tend to be dance majors, Strauss said that is not a requirement.

The Fall for Dance concert will be Dec. 2 to 4 at the River Campus. Tickets are $16 and available at the box office, or by calling 651-2265. Tickets are also available at metrotix.com, keyword Fall Dance.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

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