It was a weekend filled with music and movement as Wright State presented its annual Winter Dance Concert March 8–11 in the Festival Playhouse. In a reflection of the range of the university’s dance program, the concert showcased a broad range of styles from classical ballet to modern jazz.
This year’s concert featured the regional premiere of “The Alliance” by guest choreographer Jon Lehrer of LehrerDance. The show also featured six world premiere works from Wright State dance faculty Teressa McWilliams, Justin Gibbs and Gina Gardner-Walther, as well as pieces by the Dayton Ballet II and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II.
A part of the weekend’s events, Wright State offered its third annual Dance Intensive workshop. Theatre and dance faculty spent six hours teaching a variety of dance styles and techniques to area students ages 14 and older.
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- The Winter Dance Concert featured the regional premiere of “The Alliance” by guest choreographer Jon Lehrer.
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- Wright State’s performance of “The Alliance” was the first time the piece had been performed by any group other than LehrerDance.
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- “The Alliance” embodies the LehrerDance aesthetic of organic athleticism, incorporating the fluidity of modern dance with the power and precision of jazz dance.
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- “Reality Check,” a world premiere piece by assistant professor Gina Gardner-Walther, explored the familiar feeling of waking up from a vivid dream wondering if it was real.
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- A world premiere work by associate professor Teressa McWilliams, “the precipice between . . .” was set to the dynamic beats of Kodo drums.
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- “Untouchable” by assistant professor Justin Gibbs incorporated new music written by local artist Tom Gray.
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- The concert featured a piece by guest artists from the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II.
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- The concert also included pieces choreographed by Wright State students like “Sejour” by dance major Amelia Dietz.
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- (L–R) Dance faculty Justin Gibbs, Gina Gardner-Walther and Teressa McWilliams were among the instructors at Wright State’s third annual Dance Intensive.
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- More than 100 area students attended the day of workshop, which included this musical theatre dance class taught by Wright State associate professor Greg Hellems.
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- Joe Deer (far left), head of musical theatre at Wright State, led a class in rhythm tap dance.
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- Dance intensive participants, including those in this classical ballet workshop, received a complimentary ticket to the Winter Dance Concert.
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