Denison’s dance department will present Resist Sustain–five dances by faculty and guest artists on April 17-19 at 8 p.m. at the Doane Dance Performance Space (231 West College Street). Featuring works by guest artist and Ballet Met dancer Adam Hundt, resident musician and composer Terrence Karn, guest faculty in World Dance Melissa Obenauf, and faculty members Sandra Mathern-Smith and Mishele Mennett, the concert is free and open to the public. Call 740-587-6712 for more information.

The five original works each connect thematically to the concert title, Resist Sustain, in dramatically different ways. These words, resist/sustain, evoke political, environmental and cultural notions. While simultaneously referring to movement qualities found in dance, each work finds a unique tie to them.

Hundt, a professional dancer with Columbus’s Ballet Met, has created an original work for eight Denison students titled, “39.” The work reflects on the year 1939, a conflicted period when the release of “Gone With the Wind” and the impending entrance into WWII were prominent.

Obenauf joins seven students in a series of lively Serbian dances, featuring intricate rhythms and singing. The dances comment indirectly on the ways music and dance sustain a culture through times of dissidence.

Two works featuring Karn include “Shake, Bottle and Bag,” performed by Karn and the dance department faculty. This percussion movement piece uses all manner of trash as percussion instruments while raising awareness of our need to reuse, reduce and recycle. A second work, “If My Body was a Map,” focuses on improvisation with music by Karn and dance by Mathern-Smith. Mennett also is featured on the program.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING, Denison University, Granville—Resist Sustain–five dances by faculty and guest artists, featuring work of Ballet Met dancer Adam Hundt; 8 p.m., Thurs., April 17, Doane Dance Performance Space (231 West College Street). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-6712 to confirm information.

CALENDAR LISTING, Denison University, Granville—Resist Sustain–five dances by faculty and guest artists, featuring work of Ballet Met dancer Adam Hundt; 8 p.m., Fri., April 18, Doane Dance Performance Space (231 West College Street). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-6712 to confirm information.

CALENDAR LISTING, Denison University, Granville—Resist Sustain–five dances by faculty and guest artists, featuring work of Ballet Met dancer Adam Hundt; 8 p.m., Sat., April 19, Doane Dance Performance Space (231 West College Street). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-6712 to confirm information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575