Ohio Wesleyan Dancers, Choreographers Examine Social Constructs Through Dance
Ohio Wesleyan students Ben Danielson and Joyce Petersen (center) are among the 22 dancers who will perform as part of ‘Orchesis 14/15,’ a contemporary dance concert to be held Nov. 14-16 at the university. (Photo by Andrenyka Saldivar ’16)
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University’s student dance company, Orchesis, will present its annual contemporary dance concert with 22 dancers performing nine pieces created by students, faculty, and a guest choreographer.
The Department of Theatre & Dance will present “Orchesis 14/15” at 8 p.m. Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 and at 2 p.m. Nov.16 on the Main Stage of Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware, on the Ohio Wesleyan campus. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for senior citizens, Ohio Wesleyan employees, and non-OWU students with valid student IDs. Tickets are free for OWU students with valid university IDs. To reserve tickets, call (740) 368-3855.
All 22 dancers will kick off the concert with “Club Charlie,” choreographed by artistic director and visiting assistant professor of dance Rashana Smith in collaboration with the cast of Orchesis.
“We’re exploring appropriation through social dances,” Smith said. “As company members, we have our own set of associations with certain dances. Through the rehearsal process, we’re looking at the history and social contexts for each dance, and then we’re deconstructing and abstracting these dances to contextualize what it means to dance socially with each other. Dances from which we’re pulling, for example, are The Charleston; Lindy Hop; named dances like the Twist, Cool Jerk, and Mashed Potato; staged social dances like Rich Man’s Frug; and line dances like The Wobble and The Electric Slide.”
Guest Choreographer Eric Abbott-Main will present “Hope that lines don’t cross,” a highly physical dance/theatre work that examines modes of etiquette and convention in a social setting. Structured around a diverse score, and referencing a familiar dance-hall setting, the work depicts a group dancing together and, perhaps not, in the unavoidable event of moving forward.
The show’s remaining pieces, all choreographed by Ohio Wesleyan dance students, explore a variety of themes.
Senior Lauren Holler presents her senior project, which explores marginalized standpoint theory in the context of a political and polarized world. Senior Michelle Smith examines how the subconscious and conscious continuously work together. Senior Haenny Park explores the psychology of the human experience as defined by the politics of the world. Senior Joyce Petersen researches the journey individuals undergo during injury or illness. Junior Yasmin Radzi investigates how physical boundaries affect the relationships among different bodies in space. Junior Jordane Faith focuses on individuality and group dynamics. Can individuality exist in a tightly knit and orderly community? Senior Jeunesse Jacobs delves into issues of struggle and support.
On Nov. 14, the performance will be free for Ohio Wesleyan faculty and staff, and feature a reception afterward. On Nov. 15, an artist talk-back discussion will follow the performance. On Nov. 16, the concert will be preceded by a pre-show dance party at 1:30 p.m., with the matinee starting at 2 p.m.
Learn more about Orchesis and Ohio Wesleyan’s Department of Theatre & Dance at https://www.owu.edu/academics/departments-programs/department-of-theatre-dance/.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers 86 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Ohio Wesleyan combines a challenging, internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world experience. OWU’s 1,750 students represent 46 U.S. states and territories and 43 countries. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.