Each year SSU’s Dance faculty Christine Cali and Kristen Daley invite renowned, professional guest artists from around the country to SSU to explore, inspire, collaborate and present new dance works featuring SSU student performers.
The Spring Dance Concert is part of the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance:Spring Performance Festival in Person Theater, and as part of the Spring Festival will perform over 2 weeks in rotation with the Acting show, Eurydice and Senior Projects.
DATES: Friday, April 29 at 7:30pm, Thursday, May 5 at 7:30pm, Saturday, May 7 at 7:30pm
A note from the Choreographers:
Greetings, I am Byb Bibene, a passionate dance educator, performer and choreographer. I work in the intersection of contemporary dance and traditional and urban dances of Africa. My dance creative process also draws from the elements of nature and the surroundings to convey different emotions. The one thing I ask from the body of dancers I work with is to remain curious and open minded, because the magic in creative dance dwells outside of the comfort zone and developed habits.
Hi! I’m Farrah, adjunct faculty here in the Dance program.
I am looking to create a House forward piece, with Contemporary dance and other street styles integrated in. I am very interested in creating an affirming and physically rigorous practice-to-piece where we can reclaim some much needed joy, passion, dedication, stamina and artistry. I will be interested in dancers/collaborators who are willing to move, groove, deeply and robustly. House dance experience and/or street styles experience is a plus, the commitment to train in the style throughout the process is a must.
*Personal reflection, movement development and structured improvisation will be part of the process, voice work or recording may be included.
Hello all! So glad you are here!
My choreographic process centers an expressive body...where the dancing being done is full of pleasure, risk, sensation, wildness, softness, expansivity, momentum...play! I believe first and foremost in creating a space that builds community. My process is inclusive and centers the dancers in the room--their movement identities, histories and gifts are celebrated and honored in the space. I work with who is in the room, where they are, what they are curious about, what they want to investigate, through dialogue and conversation and collaboration we together create a dance that reveals itself to us as we go. There is mystery and trust in the process as the work is usually not narrative but often based on a feeling, emotion or a kinesthetic idea. My vision of the creative process is an equitable model, where the students are challenged, nurtured, encouraged, empowered and engaged. I believe in sharing power, creating a working environment that feels open and safe. My movement style is contemporary/modern, based in release technique, and is athletic and physical. I like to work with improvisation, writing, "first thought/best thought", students as makers and movers. I am beyond thrilled to collaborate with the incredible Christine Cali, Professor and Chair of Theatre Arts & Dance, as we create a dance together with...YOU!
Hello All - I’m Christine, Chair of Theatre Arts & Dance and full time faculty. I am also a dancer, choreographer, performer, sister, auntie, daughter, activist, friend. I am invested in creating work through equitable, inclusive, accessible processes where we dance with our whole selves in an environment of shared purpose. In my creative process, I work to shape a space for you to seek your potential and be in your full agency and identities unapologetically. I am invested in cultivating a brave, dynamic, honest, creative, physical environment where we all learn from each other and have space to know and not know, to learn and grow together. It is important to me that the creative process is an experience in and of itself; and the performance is the practice of all of our learning and art-making together.
*I invite dancers to embody and explore improvisational prompts, riff on ideas that come from the group and love to incorporate your voices and words (literally), live and/or recorded in performances. Super excited to co-create with the amazing - Kristen Daley and to witness you all in the creative process with our inspiring guest artists, Byb Bibene and Farrah McAdam! Let’s do this!