The NC State Dance Program, one of the six programs of Arts NC State, will present its annual fall concert in Stewart Theatre inside Talley Student Union at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, and Friday, Nov. 17.
The concert features NC State students in majors ranging from chemical engineering to biochemistry performing research-based, content-driven choreography created by NC State dance faculty, guest artists and advanced dance students.
The Panoramic Dance Project, NC State’s academic dance company presenting diverse dance styles in a global context, will perform an excerpt from Agua Furiosa (2015), choreographed by Ana Maria Alvarez of activist-oriented Los Angeles dance company Contra-Tiempo. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Oya, the Afro-Cuban deity of wind and storms, Agua Furiosa blends salsa, Afro-Cuban movement, hip-hop and other forms of contemporary dance. The piece addresses the harsh realities of race, economic inequity, gun violence and other contemporary issues by utilizing forces of nature as a metaphor for social justice.
The company will also present an excerpt from James (2011), choreographed by the company’s newly appointed artistic director, Francine E. Ott. This piece — a spiritual hybrid of hip-hop, house, modern and African diaspora styles — premiered at the SummerStage Festival in New York City and has been performed in numerous venues since then. Ott’s creative process integrates dance, humanities and tools from the mental health field.
The NCSU Dance Company, NC State’s modern dance company, will present an excerpt from Cinderbox 2.0 (2007), choreographed by Julia Rhoads and members of Chicago’s Lucky Plush Productions dance theater troupe. Cinderbox 2.0 uses the fly-on-the-wall style of reality TV to explore the comedy and anxiety in our hypernetworked world. The company will also perform All That Ever Falls (2013) by program director Tara Mullins. Inspired by the determination of Mullins’ niece to persevere under challenging circumstances, the piece addresses self-forgiveness, redemption, unconditional love and healing.
For the first time in the history of the dance program, the fall concert will feature a blend of classical Indian and Western dance forms. Nakhre (2017), an upbeat piece choreographed by NC State College of Sciences alumna Neelam Patel, is filled with joy and elation.
The concert will also showcase original works created by four dance program students who took the advanced-level Independent Study in Dance course (DAN 498). These works explore themes including eating disorders, emotional and psychological abuse, and a person’s relationship with her- or himself.
Tickets for the Dance Program Fall Concert are available online, at the door on the night of the show, in person at Ticket Central in Thompson Hall and by phone at 919-515-1100 (1-6 p.m. Monday-Friday). Prices are $5 for NC State students; $8 for NC State faculty and staff, senior citizens and non-NC State students; and $10 for the general public. Free parking is available in the Coliseum Parking Deck after 5 p.m.
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