[NEohioPAL]KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE PERFORMS SPRING CONCERT AT KSU APRIL 1 - 4

[EFTIHIA A TSENGAS]

KENT DANCE ENSEMBLE PERFORMS ANNUAL CONCERT AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY=20
APRIL 1 - 4      =20

        On April 1, 2, 3, and 4, 2004, Kent State University=92s School=20
of Theatre and Dance will proudly present the Kent Dance Ensemble=92s=20
annual main stage concert, =93MOVING forward, LOOKING back,=94 as part of=
=20
their 20th anniversary season.   Eleven dancers representing the=20
Bachelor of Fine Arts programs in dance performance and dance education=20
will perform works ranging from an historical reconstruction to the=20
integration of new media technologies. =20
=09Opening the concert will be =93Dance Energies,=94 choreographed in 1959 =
by=20
modern dance pioneer May O=92Donnell, a member of the original Martha=20
Graham Dance Company.  The piece was staged by Sabatino and Barbara=20
Allegra Verlezza, former O=92Donnell company members and former=20
co-directors and choreographers with Cleveland=92s Dancing Wheels. =20
=93Dance Energies=94 explores the diverse =93energies=92 of dance, of peopl=
e=20
and of nature playing betwixt the literal and the abstract.  The=20
original score, by the late Ray Green, is being restored by Dance=20
Division staff musician Bill Sallak.  This performance, a collaboration=20
between Sallak and students from the School of Music, will be the world=20
premiere of =93Dance Energies=94 with live music and is made possible with=
=20
support from the Dean of the College of Fine and Professional Arts and=20
the Office of the Provost.  The Kent Dance Ensemble  also performed=20
this piece in March, representing Kent State University at the Great=20
Lakes Regional American College Dance Festival in Detroit.=20
Artistic Director Kimberly Karpanty offers two new dances this season. =20
A 2003 duet, entitled =93The Field,=94 is performed by senior members of=20
the Ensemble to music by violinist Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg and=20
guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad.  =93(trumpets on high) Workers in the=20
Valley,=94 will be danced in two separate venues and integrated through=20
live video and the internet.  Inspired by a new commissioned score by=20
Sallak and the unique dimensions of Wright-Curtis Theatre, Karpanty=20
shows the enduring dichotomy that exists when the =93high and mighty=94 in=
=20
society thieve credit for the effort and execution of the work force.
=09In an eerie finale, the full Ensemble fills the stage for School of=20
Theatre and Dance Director John R. Crawford=92s =93MASQUE.=94  The=20
inspiration is an abstract exploration of what is hidden and what is=20
revealed when people work in groups.  Large prop pieces are used by the=20
dancers as they explore an environment that is part of a ritual of=20
interdependence and community building. =20
The Kent Dance Ensemble tours regionally and nationally, while=20
maintaining an outreach program in area schools that reaches teachers=20
and all ages of students K-12.  For the first time in a decade, the=20
educational missions of the company come to the stage, with two=20
original dances created by Ensemble members for fifth grade music=20
students from Defer Intermediate School in Streetsboro (Thursday and=20
Friday, April 1 and 2) and  sophomore dancers from Akron=92s Firestone=20
High School (Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4).
 =93MOVING forward, LOOKING back=94 will be performed in Wright-Curtis=20
Theatre located in the Music and Speech building on Kent=92s main campus.=
=20
 Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening performances begin at 8:00 pm,=20
with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $10 for Adults, $8 for=20
senior citizens, KSU faculty, staff and alumni and $7 for students=20
under 18 or with any valid school ID.  Call the School of Theatre and=20
Dance box office at (330) 672-2497 between noon and 5 pm Monday through=20
Friday for ticket reservations.    Please contact Artistic Director=20
Kimberly Karpanty at (330) 672-0127 for further information on the=20
Ensemble=92s upcoming performances and outreach programs.


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