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Pictured above are the University Dance Theatre students from WIU who performed "Multiverse" for a festival gala in late March. From left are Allie Christopoulos, Anna Themanson, Kate McClelland, Tracy Kocinski, Kelsey Peters, Kimmie Nott, Erin Norlie, Allison Greene, Alicia Culbertson, Jill Nigh and Isaac Jankowski.
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University Dance Theatre Chosen for Gala Performance

April 5, 2012

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MACOMB, IL – Competing against 20 Midwest colleges and 35 dance works, the University Dance Theatre (UDT) from Western Illinois University was selected to perform "Multiverse," a piece choreographed by Professor Candace Winters-March, at the American College Dance Festival Association's (ACDFA) regional conference, held at Missouri State University, March 21-25.

"All pieces are judged by a panel of three adjudicators. The judging is objective and anonymous – they only know the title, composer of the music and the year it was first performed", Winters-March explained.

The judges' comments for "Multiverse" included "order from chaos kept appearing and re-appearing", "rich vocabulary and richly performed," "the essence of the piece was just dance, beautiful, beautiful dance" and "a perfect piece in every way."

"Multiverse," along with 10 other dance pieces, was then selected from 35 dances to perform a second time in the culminating gala performance, on the final evening of the four-day conference. The contemporary dance piece abstractly explores ideas of a parallel universe, chaos into form, and the cycle of death and re-birth.

"Every year, approximately 15-20 UDT dancers attend the ACDFA Conference," Winters-March said.

The 11 students who performed in "Multiverse" at the ACDFA Gala were recreation, park and tourism administration major Allison Christopoulos; math education major Alicia Culbertson; education major Allison Greene; music theatre major Isaac Jankowski; law enforcement and justice administration major Tracy Kocinski; music theatre major Jill Nigh; music theatre major Erin Norlie; kinesiology major Kimmie Nott; sociology major Kate McClelland; music theatre major Kelsey Peters; sociology major, Anna Themanson and understudy kinesiology major Melissa Johnson. Theatre design graduate student Will Stacey designed the lights for the piece.

WIU was the only school selected for the gala that offers dance as a minor only.

"All other schools selected for the gala maintain dance and dance/theatre major programs," Winters-March said. "There were large dance conservatories represented in the gala as well, making WIU's inclusion even more special."

A second WIU piece, "In This Place," choreographed by senior Kate McClelland, was also adjudicated at the ACDFA conference, and received favorable remarks.

"Multiverse" will be presented to the Macomb community at the Spring Gala Dance Concert, April 26-28, at 7:30 p.m. in Hainline Theatre.


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