Video: USC Kaufman School of Dance Premieres MOVE YA BODY: A DANCE FOR TV EXPERIENCE

 The USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, in conjunction with USC Kaufman Board of Councilors member Jeff Thacker (Executive Producer of So You Think You Can Dance), will premiere Move Ya Body: A Dance for TV Experience.

Helmed by Broadway veteran and USC Kaufman faculty member Betsy Struxness and creative directed by choreographer Robert Roldan, the school brought together choreographers Mandy Moore, Luther Brown, Mandy Korpinen, Elizabeth Petrin, Koko Iwasaki and Kiki Nyemchek to create a dance performance specifically choreographed for TV.

Move Ya Body: A Dance for TV Experience is a film that documents the students of USC Kaufman as they learn the technical aspects of performing dance, specifically for a TV audience from some of the top choreographers in the TV industry. Encompassing varying genres of dance, it culminates in the students' filmed dance performance of Move Ya Body, with an original mix for the project by Hefa Tuita.

"I wanted the students to 'experience' and apply some basic principles dancing specifically for the TV camera," says Thacker. "To perform 'to' and connect 'through' a lens is a craft dancers must acquire and be competent in should TV become their career. We only 'scratched the surface' this time, but hopefully [we] will show what is possible to achieve and accomplish moving forward. Thanks to the choreographers involved and everyone at USC Kaufman for giving us time to 'experience' and 'experiment!'"

"Putting together all the elements of this project from production to performance felt like a culmination of all the skills I'd gained throughout my performance career, especially from originating Broadway shows such as Hamilton," says Struxness. "Bringing a brand new project into the school and helping the students learn and excel in a different medium was thrilling. The entire project is a testament to the multi-talented nature of dancers and our ability to produce entertainment."

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