Wright State University Dance Ensemble to Present THE NEW GENERATION OF DANCE This Month

Wright State Dance audiences will have the opportunity to see student dancers shine in a variety of choreographic works from April 20-23 in Wright State's Festival Playhouse. The concert will showcase seven dynamic pieces by the WSU faculty Gina Gardner Walther and Ashley Pabst and renowned guest choreographers, Stewart/Owen and Alison Reny. Highlighting this region's vibrant and diverse dance community, the ensemble will feature their partner training companies Dayton Ballet II (DBII) and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2 (DCDC2), offering three exuberant companies on one stage.

The first guest choreographers are Gavin Stewart and Vanessa Owen, husband-and-wife founders of North Carolina-based Stewart/Owen Dance. Their tailor-made repertoire includes an exciting collection of contemporary choreography that's as "sensual" (Washington Post) as it is "humorous, elegant, and wild" (Seattle Dances). The pair said this about their new work, titled Memory Affair, "Why not live blissfully in the past, in complete denial of present reality? Set in an imaginary bygone time, Memory Affair is a zany piece exploring nostalgia, escapism and inhibition." The second guest is regional choreographer, Alison Reny, who earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Wright State University and a master's degree in education from The University of Toledo. She is Director of Dance at The Toledo School for the Arts, and choreographer for the Limitless Dance Company. Reny fell in love with teaching and choreographing while she was a student at Wright State. Her premier work focuses on visual and rhythmic patterns, while bringing to the forefront the power and determination of its dancers.

This Spring Dance Concert 2023 is inspired by connections and artistic family. Vanessa and Alison both graduated from Wright State with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and are both esteemed members of the Wright State University Dance Ensemble (WSUDE) family. They will spotlight the creativity and talent of these gifted alumni who have become mature Dance artists on the national stage. As always, this concert features the work of students, who receive rigorous training and highly focused individual attention, allowing them to push the boundaries of dance and discover their own artistry.

Thursday, April 20, 2023, 7:00 pm - (Free with WSU student ID, this performance only)

Friday, April 21, 2023, 8:00 pm

Saturday, April 22, 8:00 pm

Sunday, April 23, 2:00 pm

Adults/$20, Seniors/$15, Students/$5

Box Office: 937.775.2500 or www.wright.edu/theatre.

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