Spring Dance Concert to feature premiere of six works

The annual Spring Dance Concert on April 21-24 will feature the Wright State Dance Ensemble and works by guest choreographers Jon Lehrer and Greg Robinson. (Photos by Scott Robins/Geek with a Lens)

The Wright State Dance Ensemble will premiere six works and feature dances by nationally known guest choreographers Jon Lehrer, of Lehrer Dance, and Greg Robinson during its annual Spring Dance Concert.

Performances take place in the Festival Playhouse in the Creative Arts Center on Thursday, April 21, at 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, April 24, at 2 p.m.

The concert will feature eight varied pieces reflecting the breadth and vision of the Dance Program, as well as guest works by the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II and Dayton Ballet II.

“The concert is sure to have something for everyone. From the music of The Pointer Sisters to the guitar riffs of Richie Havens we paint a canvas in concert dance with athletic, vibrant works of variety,” said Teressa Wylie McWilliams, dance program coordinator and professor.

“The WSU University Dance Ensemble is exquisite. They produce some of the most electric dancers around,” said Greg Graham, Broadway veteran who was guest choreographer at Wright State last year and in 2008.

Jon Lehrer’s “Pantheon Rising,” originally choreographed for Lehrer Dance in 2013, is about the gods and goddesses that created the universe and features a bold musical score by Damien Simon.

Greg Robinson’s “Girls, Girls, Girls!!!” is an appreciation and evocation of “all things showgirl” and features music by Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, the Young Sinatras and The Pointer Sisters.

Premiering at the concert will be “Revel in the Now,” choreographed by Gina Walther, associate professor of dance, exuberant work for 11 dancers that pays homage to the philosophy of living in the moment; and “A Gathering of Crows” by Justin Gibbs, assistant professor.

The Dance Ensemble will also perform McWilliams’ “The Cost,” featuring music by Richie Havens and Jimi Hendrix, and a senior student work by Elizabeth Ramsey.

Tickets cost $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students and can be ordered online or by calling the Theatre Box Office at 937-775-2500.

Dance Intensive Workshop for high school students

Wright State will hold its annual Dance Intensive Workshop on Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Creative Arts Center.

Open to students 14 and older, the workshop will teach technique classes on jazz, tap, modern, ballet, contemporary, musical theatre dance, hip-hop, lyrical, improvisation and pointe.

Participating faculty members include Teressa Wylie McWilliams, Gina Walther, Justin Gibbs and Joe Deer, along with guest alumni.

The workshop costs $45. More information, including registration details, is available on the Dance Program website or by calling 937-775-3792.