University News

Winter DanceWorks Concert Dec. 5-8 at WIU

November 18, 2019

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MACOMB, IL – The Western Illinois University Department of Theatre and Dance will present its annual Winter DanceWorks Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 5-7, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 in Hainline Theatre.

Artistic direction for the performance will be conducted by Associate Professor Heidi Clemmens and Instructor Lara Petrin.

The Winter DanceWorks Concert will offer an evening of dance, choreographed by students, guest artists and instructors in the University Dance Theatre (UDT). Each performance will incorporate a variety of dance styles, including modern/contemporary, jazz, Afro-modern and ballet.

Petrin choreographed "In Motion," an all male ensemble that highlights the multifaceted movement of the male body.

Junior communication major, Spanish and dance minor Elle McGary, of Darien, IL, choreographed "If Only," a piece about working hard for something that wasn't was meant to be and learning to work with what you are given. It deals with struggle, conflict and ultimately acceptance.

Senior physical education major, dance minor Diana DeFelice-Pirro, of Peoria, IL, choreographed "Fabricated," a piece inspired by the story of Gypsi Blanchard who was forced to live a life as a handicapped child while she was not actually handicapped at all, ultimately resulting in her killing her mother to be free.

Clemmens choreographed "Moving Forward," a work which looks at the challenges of moving forward in the midst of our everyday obstacles.

Time, fertility, light, cycles and more. Marrisha Devereueawax-Coates, a senior music major from Rockford, IL, welcomes the audience to join her dancers in celebrating the moon, all the elements (fire, water, earth and air), and how the moon is connected to each of our lives in her piece titled "Kamaria."

"She is Her," choreographed by Jacquie Frausto, a senior social work major, dance minor, of Frankin Park, IL, is a women empowerment inspired jazz number.

Oftentimes we are closed off to others and don't take the time to learn where their thinking and reasoning about who they are comes from. "Someone Else's Shoes," choreographed by Colin Stansky, a junior musical theatre major from Florence, AL, invites the audience to explore this thought.

Tickets for the production are $15 for general admission; $13 for senior citizens and students and free to WIU students with valid identification.

For additional information, visit wiu.edu/cofac/theatre or call (309) 298-2900.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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