CCBC Dance Company Presents 2015 Spring Dance Concert This Weekend

The Community College of Baltimore County Dance Company will perform its annual spring concert at 11:15 a.m. today, April 23 and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25 at College Community Center Theatre at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Boulevard. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for seniors, students, CCBC faculty, staff and alumni. Admission is free for current CCBC students with IDs. Tickets are available from the CCBC Box Office at 443-840-ARTS (2787).

This semester's members of the CCBC Dance Company are: Claire Thompson of Baltimore, Md., Lia Karagianopoulos of Dundalk, Md., Robert O'Brien of Fallston, Md., Alexa Breakiron of Joppa, Md., Melissa Lloyd of Nottingham. Md., Anna Gibeck, Lyselle Payne and Samantha Roche of Parkville, Md., Anastasia McKenzie, Dayja Parker and Sara Pistorio of Perry Hall, Md., Angel Stewart of Randallstown, Md., Tiffany Morgan of Towson, Md., and Teara Hall of Windsor Mill, Md.

The program is an eclectic mix including a new work created for the Dance Company by guest artist Sandra C. Atkinson titled "My Own/Needs." Atkinson is the Founder/Artistic Director of Light Switch Dance Theatre (sites-specific modern dance company) and Co-Artistic Director of the Jazz Is....Dance Project. About the process of creating the work Atkinson stated: "The piece evolved from a movement partnering exercise the students worked on the first day of rehearsal. After review and observing their relationships through video, I decided on the concept of being self-sufficient/Support systems. No one person is moving through life completely alone and we all find little vices to help us through, so the piece is exploration of those themes." CCBC Dance Company members performing this work are Alexa Breakiron, Anna Gibeck, Teara Hall, Tiffany Morgan, Bobby O'Brien, Dayja Parker, Lyselle Payne, Angel Stewart, and Claire Thompson.

Another piece, "Considering Possible," is a new solo work by the Company's Artistic Director Melinda Blomquist. "This piece is challenging to the dancers as it asks them to bring their own personal story to the choreography. The work will be performed by three different dancers: Lia Karagianopoulos (Thursday), Anastasia McKenzie (Friday), and Lyselle Payne (Saturday). Each dancer brings something different to the work as she considers the possibilities," notes Blomquist.

Others works include:

· "deepest blue" by Dance Program Coordinator Tommy Parlon featuring Alexa Breakiron, Anna Gibeck, Melissa Lloyd, Tiffany Morgan, Bobby O'Brien, Sara Pistorio, Angel Stewart, Claire Thompson.

· "Elemental Alchemy" by Associate Director of the Company Linda O'Brien performed by Alexa Breakiron, Anna Gibeck, Lia Karagianopoulos, Melissa Lloyd, Anastasia McKenzie, Tiffany Morgan, Bobby O'Brien, Dayja Parker, Lyselle Payne, Sara Pistorio, Samantha Roche, Angel Stewart, and Claire Thompson.

· "Stories from the Backseat" both revisits and recreates the imaginative antics of childhood car rides through whimsically reminiscent contemporary dance created by Adjunct Faculty member Kristi Schaffner. Dancers include Lia Karagianopoulos, Anastasia McKenzie, and Dayja Parker. Anna Gibeck and Lyselle Payne are understudies.

The spring Dance Concert serves as a venue to showcase student works - both those projects that they are using as their required capstone project toward the associate of Fine Arts degree (AFA) program in Dance as well as student submissions by dancers in the company to be adjudicated by the Dance faculty for the performance.

This spring three student-created works will be performed during the concert:

· Samantha Roche will present her work, "Saudade", which is her capstone project for the AFA Dance Degree. Dancers are: Alexa Breakiron, Anna Gilbeck, Robert O'Brien, Sara Pistorio, and Claire Thompson.

· Melissa Lloyd will present "Floating in Light Space." Dancers are: Alexa Breakiron, Melissa Lloyd, Sara Pistorio, and Samantha Roche.

· Lyselle Payne will present her work "wanted. Needed." Dancers are: Alexa Breakiron, Anna Gibeck, Anastasia McKenzie, Dayja Parker, Sara Pistorio, Angel Stewart, and Claire Thompson.

For additional information on the program or to purchase tickets, contact the CCBC Box Office at 443-840-ARTS (2787). Although CCBC is closed for spring break (April 3-12), tickets may be purchased online from the CCBC website.

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