<div dir="ltr"><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">AKRON, OH—The University of Akron (UA) School of Dance, Theatre, and Arts Administration presents “</span><b style="color:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:inherit;font-variant-ligatures:inherit;font-variant-caps:inherit">Spring into Dance</b><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">.” The fully-virtual concert will include pre-recorded works and behind-the-scenes footage and will be available to stream via YouTube on </span><b style="color:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:inherit;font-variant-ligatures:inherit;font-variant-caps:inherit">Saturday, April 10 at 2:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. </b><br></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> </span></b></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">“Spring into Dance” will feature works by seven student choreographers in Terpsichore, UA’s student-led dance organization, as well as a piece by dance faculty member Jennifer Lehaney. Guest choreographer Dominic Moore-Dunson of Inlet Dance Theatre will also present a work in conjunction with The Dance Institute.  </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">Faith Coleman, a student choreographer with Terpsichore, says she “couldn’t have asked for better dancers” reflecting that “they took my vision and turned it into reality.” Coleman’s piece “To the Last” is a reflection of a difficult time in her life. The dance explores themes of depression and the struggle of balancing good and bad thoughts.  </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">Other Terpsichore choreographers took this opportunity to create works that offer some lightheartedness after this challenging past year. Zakiah Davis, found inspiration for her piece “Triple Threat” from the positive idea of her future. Featuring energetic music by Rihanna, Ariana Grande, and Beyoncé, Davis’s goal with her piece is to make the audience have fun and want to get up and dance. Similarly, Lexi Hartung’s dance film “Burlesque” is intended to be entertaining and upbeat.  </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">Guest choreographer Dominic Moore-Dunson created his piece “Bitter Earth” in collaboration with the dancers, students from UA’s Dance Institute. Moore-Dunson says that he has enjoyed the creative process and finds himself “impressed by the students’ desire to have authentic conversations about real-life experiences.” His work is a response to the world’s experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rests upon the balancing themes of isolation and resiliency. The piece is driven by a phrase that he and the dancers have used throughout the process—“It’s okay <span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> </span>not to be okay.” </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">The University of Akron Dance Program offers both a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Dance and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Dance. Students receive extensive training in technique, performance and choreography, which is supported by academic coursework in dance history, pedagogy and physical analysis. </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> </span></p><p class="gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 1pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">Reservations to stream “Spring into Dance” are free and can be made at <u>springintodanceUA</u></span><a href="https://wedanceonua.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">.eventbrite.com</span></a><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> or by contacting the ticket office at <a href="mailto:artsadministration@uakron.edu">artsadministration@uakron.edu</a> or 330-972-7895. For additional information visit </span><a href="https://www.uakron.edu/dtaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">uakron.edu/dtaa</span></a><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit"> or </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/UADanceTheatre" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">facebook.com/UADanceTheatre</span></a><span style="margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit;font-size:12pt;line-height:inherit;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;vertical-align:baseline;color:inherit">. </span></p><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div>