All in the Name of Dance and Creativity
Back in 1975, Alta Lu Townes, an English Department lecturer who also taught a few dance classes, organized a performance she called 鈥淎n Evening of the Dance.鈥� Held in Drenan Auditorium, then in the basement of Parker Hall, the program consisted of 20 or so three-minute pieces 鈥� the 鈥渇inal exams鈥� of her dance students.
In the following years, Townes developed the College鈥檚 dance program and continued the tradition of the annual performance. Townes is, sadly, no longer with us, but An Evening of Dance still brings together dance students and faculty in concert each spring. This year鈥檚 event will bring back dance program alumni as well, as the Theatre and Dance Department celebrates the 40th anniversary of Evening of Dance in four nights of performances in April.
鈥淭his whole celebration idea came from alumni, who said, 鈥楾his is a big deal; we want to celebrate. How can we be involved?鈥欌�� says William Seigh, professor of dance. 鈥淚t鈥檚 groundswell to do this. I鈥檓 not sure it would have become the event it鈥檚 becoming if we didn鈥檛 feel the inspiration from alumni.鈥� Those include Adam Berube 鈥�06 and Tammy Squires 鈥�96. Richard Ouellette 鈥�12 is designing T-shirts for the occasion. Some will take to the stage, as the performances will include a rotating selection of alumni dancers. On Wednesday, April 15, Deirdre Lewis 鈥�12 and Riley Ahern 鈥�12 perform a duet. The following night, Angie Muzzy 鈥�08 will perform Robert Battle鈥檚 Etude. Friday night鈥檚 alumni performer is Aiyana Maye 鈥�03, who will dance a solo choreographed for her by Seigh. Saturday, Paul Besaw 鈥�88, now on the dance faculty at the University of Vermont, will solo.
The other pieces, which will be repeated each night, include works choreographed and performed by students along with new pieces from Seigh, Dance Program Director Marcia Murdock, and Choreographer in Residence Adele Myers. The celebration of the event will feature a retrospective video, a lobby display, and photos and remembrances sent in by alumni 鈥� who will be welcomed with a special reception before the Saturday evening show.
鈥淎s a department we鈥檙e collaborative; we鈥檙e supportive,鈥� says Murdock. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always felt like a family. We love making dance together. There鈥檚 something about this group of people coming together, visiting old friends, visiting family that they haven鈥檛 seen for a while.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 all in the name of dance and creativity,鈥� says Seigh, who notes that the idea is to celebrate the event, the dance program, and the students who have passed through it. 鈥淎nd the vision of the founder, Alta Lu,鈥� adds Murdock. 鈥淪he would be absolutely thrilled.鈥�