Kent State Dancers Premiere Original Works in Two Concerts

’s School of Theatre and Dance will present the B.F.A. Senior Dance Concert: "At(ten)tion to Detail" at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Louis O. Erdmann and William H. Zucchero (EZ) Black Box Theatre in the Music and Speech Center.

And next Sunday, during free concerts at 2 and 7 p.m., junior and senior dance performance and dance education majors will present the annual Student Dance Festival: "1 and itself."

B.F.A. Senior Dance Concert

“At(ten)tion to Detail” will offer audience members the opportunity to see original works that demonstrate the versatility and creative choices of 10 B.F.A senior dance performance majors.

The concert represents the culmination of their choreographic endeavors at Kent State and will include a dynamic array of work addressing a variety of topics using modern and jazz dance.

Jessica Kraft’s piece, “27 Million,” addresses the dark truth of the existence of masses of enslaved people in the world today. Through dance and video projection, this piece explores the global reality of sex trafficking and forced labor.

Miles Davis’ words, “Sometimes, you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself,” serves as a point of departure for Jordan Deckert’s jazz dance, “Off the Hinge.”

Jessica Mego’s piece, “Tenacity,” showcases the strength of women through modern dance choreography inspired by poet Maya Angelou's words, “The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination.”

“Sifting,” choreographed by Diane Skerbec, explores the concept of revealing the purest, most genuine form of self, while and Michelle Brown’s, "six miles out," uses a series of vignettes to portray life’s overwhelming moments through humor.

Original works by Ebby Howarth, Jessica Elizabeth Kinsey, LaRonica L. Southerland, Sabatino A. Verlezza and Colleen M. Weiher will round out this vibrant and innovative concert.

To close the concert, the 10 graduating senior choreographers will perform together in an excerpt of “Pursuit of Happiness,” choreographed by modern dance pioneer May O’Donnell.

Reconstructed by faculty member Barbara Allegra Verlezza, this piece was created in honor of the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial and is set to the quintessential American music of the Big Band era.

Performances begin at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $8 for students, $12 for seniors, $14 for faculty/staff/KSU alumni and $16 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the box office by calling 330-672-2497 or online at www.dance.kent.edu.

The box office is open weekdays from noon to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to each performance. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks and cash are accepted. Free parking is available and the theatre is fully accessible.

Student Dance Festival

Junior and senior dance performance and dance education majors will debut works in the EZ Theatre at the annual “Student Dance Festival: 1 and itself,” next Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. The two performances are free and open to the public.

Drawing from modern, jazz, and hip hop, the choreographers express ideas that are individual and meaningful to them. Audience members are sure to find something they can relate to in this diverse presentation of dance.