[NEohioPAL]Kent State Dance Concert in November

[EFTIHIA A TSENGAS]

Contact:=20
Effie Tsengas, PR/Marketing Director
KSU School of Theatre & Dance=09
330-672-0113
=09=09=09=09=09     =20
October 20, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTS=20
FACULTY AND GUEST ARTIST DANCE CONCERT

The Dance Division of Kent State University's School of Theatre and=20
Dance will present Dance 2003: Some Assembly Required on November 21-23=20
in E. Turner Stump Theatre.  The concert includes a variety of dance=20
styles from traditional African and jazz to original modern dance=20
choreography by Dance Division faculty members and guest artists, and=20
is performed by faculty and students.  Performances are November 21 &=20
22 at 8:00 p.m. and November 23 at 2:30 p.m.  E. Turner Stump Theatre=20
is located in the Music and Speech Center located off Horning Drive in=20
Kent.  Ample free parking is available and the theatre is fully=20
accessible.

The concert=92s title is derived from the various areas that must come=20
together in order to create a dance performance: choreography, dancers,=20
music, designers, stage crew.  It also refers to the thought and energy=20
the audience must invest in the concert in order=20
for the communication between dancers and observers to succeed.  Many=20
of the works by faculty choreographers John R. Crawford, Kimberly=20
Karpanty, Darwin Prioleau, Andrea Shearer, Erin S. Smith, Barbara=20
Allegra Verlezza and Sabatino Verlezza deal with various aspects of=20
humanity, where personal relationships also demand some =93assembly=94.

Guest choreographer Patience Sewor traveled from Portland, OR to stage=20
=93Gahu,'=92 a traditional dance of celebration from Ghana.  The piece,=20
performed by sixteen student dancers, is being rehearsed by Vicki Doe,=20
who is a KSU graduate student in Exercise Physiology, owner/operator of=20
Vicki Doe Fitness in Youngstown, OH, and part time Dance Faculty=20
member.  =93Gahu=94 will be danced to live music, led by KSU Dance Division=
=20
Staff Accompanist William Sallak and members of the University of Akron=20
African Drumming Ensemble.

Darwin Prioleau=92s =93Journey to the Mountain Top=94 celebrates the life a=
nd=20
legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.  The dancers use the spoken word as=20
well as movements performed to a collage of instrumental and vocal=20
music and excerpts of M.L. King=92s speeches to convey the impact of Dr.=20
King on their lives.

Erin S. Smith=92s =93Pivotal Interludes=94 presents a study of interpersona=
l=20
relationships using music and choreography to explore pivotal moments=20
in people=92s lives, while Kimberly Karpanty=92s new jazz work, =93Urban So=
ul=20
Blues,=94 is loosely set in a contemporary Chicago jazz club to music by=20
living blues great Buddy Guy.  Karpanty will also perform a new solo by=20
New York choreographer Jennifer Tsukayama, who uses gestures, dramatic=20
lighting and the music of Sheila Chandra to explore recovery and the=20
healing process.

More abstract approaches to exploring humanity are taken by=20
choreographers John R. Crawford and Andrea Shearer.  In =93Masque,=94=20
Crawford uses masks and props to examine what is hidden and revealed in=20
humanity, while in =93Piecemeal,=94 Shearer utilizes an expanse of fabric=
=20
to focus attention and to challenge viewer perceptions about what they=20
see.

The Dance Division=92s newest faculty members, Barbara Allegra Verlezza=20
and Sabatino Verlezza, former artistic director of Dancing Wheels,=20
offer excerpts from =93Celestial Celebration=94 in which Greek and Roman=20
mythology is linked to the movement of the planets.  This dynamic=20
modern dance for a cast of ten women reflects the rich and varying=20
sections of Carl Orff=92s powerful =93Carmina Burana.=94

The costumes, lighting, sets and backstage support for Dance 2003 are=20
largely provided by undergraduate and graduate student designers from=20
the Theatre Division.  The students work under the supervision of=20
faculty members Suzy Campbell (Costumes), Cynthia Stillings (Lighting),=20
Raynette Smith (Props), Martin Simonsen (Technical Direction), Karl=20
Erdmann (Scene Shop Supervision) and Steven Zapytowski (Media). =20

School of Theatre & Dance performances are Friday and Saturday at 8=20
p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.  Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for=20
seniors, KSU Alumni and KSU Faculty/Staff and $7 for students under 18=20
or with any valid school ID.  Discounts are available for groups of ten=20
or more.  The School of Theatre & Dance Box Office hours are 12 p.m. =96=20
5 p.m. Mondays =96 Fridays, 3 p.m. =96 7 p.m. on Saturdays during the run=
=20
of the show and one hour before performance times.  For tickets call=20
330-672-2497

On Tuesday, November 21 in the Wright-Curtis Theatre, a special panel=20
discussion, =93Dance as a Career=94 hosted by Kathy Karipides, Case Western=
=20
Reserve University Emerita Dance Faculty Member, will be held at 6:30=20
p.m.  The panel discussion is part of the =93Spotlight on Success=94=20
discussion series celebrating the School=92s 20th anniversary. =93Spotlight=
=20
on Success=94 is free and open to the public.  Wright-Curtis Theatre is=20
also located in the Music & Speech Center. For more information on the=20
series contact Elisabeth Madden, managing director at 330-672-0103.


                               ###


-------------------------
Effie A. Tsengas
PR/Marketing Director
School of Theatre & Dance
330-672-0113
etsengas at kent.edu