Department of Dance. WMU.


Special Opportunities
Department of Dance. College of Fine Arts. WMU. Kalamazoo MI


The department produces one concert each semester which includes all dance forms with choreography by faculty, students and guest artists. While the majority of the performers are students, performance by faculty and guest artists is also regularly included, providing students with the opportunity to work closely with experienced dance professionals. The dance student organization, Orchesis, also produces its own concert and sponsors three or more informal noon dance showings each year. Senior BFA students present their Graduating Presentation concert each spring, drawing performers from the student body. In addition, the department frequently collaborates with the School of Music and the Department of Theatre on musicals, operas, and other special productions to further enhance the variety of performance experiences available to students. Students may also audition for the Western Dance Project which presents educational lecture-performances at area schools.
Dance.

Dance Studio


Dance professionals are engaged as guest teachers and/or choreographers to broaden the student experience. A hallmark of the department is its Great Works Dance Project, a program designed to give students the opportunity to perform dances created by master choreographers. In February 2006, the department celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Great Works Dance Project with a gala concert at Miller Auditorium. This concert featured the choreography of Loïe Fuller, George Balanchine, Helen Tamiris, and Lou Conte. Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Gus Giordano, George Faison, Lar Lubovitch, Frank Chaves, Billy Siegenfeld, Donald McKayle, Lev Ivanov, Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot are the other choreographers whose work students have performed in the past ten years.

Students also have the opportunity for hands-on experience. Area dance studios regularly employ dance students as teachers, and area schools and community groups often engage dance majors to choreograph musicals.

 

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Department of Dance | CFA | WMU

© 2000 Last Updated June 28, 2004