Denison University's department of dance presents "Seven Spheres," its annual spring concert, which features the work of student choreographers Franklin Grace, Jennifer Guglielmi, Anusha Jogi, Leah Lombardo, Kristie Proffit, and Maria Vigliucci and Instructor of Ballet Robert Cole. The concert will be presented at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday (April 15 and 16) and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday (April 17) in Doane Dance Theatre (231 West College St.). Tickets are $5 for general admission, $3 for senior citizens and students. For more information and ticket reservations call 740-587-6712.

"Seven Spheres" includes a wide variety of dance works that range from a ballet parody to a compilation of the latest in social dancing to a piece that is just plain fun. Franklin Grace, a senior dance minor, has choreographed a piece titled "Spontaneous Performance: Hip-Hop in the 21st Century." His work focuses on the strong, sharp, quick and athletic movements that characterize some of the newest trend-setting moves in hip-hop dance today but also draws from the styles of contemporary, African, Pop, jazz, step, and ballet.

The dancers who bring this social dance form to life in a traditional dance stage venue are: Abeje Maloud-Sneed, Tametrius Hodges, Adam Amornyard, Erin Davidson, Chelsea MacNealy, Jonathan Lang, Melanie Houston, Hillary Dorwart, Jeremy Miller, Melissa Clarke, Sarah Schneider, Jen Mitchell, Abbe Wright, and Franklin Grace.

Sophomore dance major Jennifer Guglielmi's duet, "Two in a Box," is performed by first-year students Sarah Drake and Kerri Grinnage. The piece explores the increasingly shortened attention span of the human mind through the relationship between two dancers, two squares and a grid. A collage of music and colorful patchwork costumes help emphasize the continuously changing focus of the dancers and the movement.

"Symbiosis," a work by junior dance major Anusha Jogi, is an exploration of the relationships that exist between women in different generations and how these relationships affect the passing of tradition from one generation to the next. The lyric movements of first year students Sarah Drake, Eleni Grove and Halle Thompson explore the emotional roller coaster of a woman's life and the vital role women play in our world.

Senior dance minor Leah Lombardo has created a duet, "That Inward Eye," which is performed by Jonathan Lang and Erin Davidson and features the music of Brian Carsten. The piece explores the experience and nuances of memory. The dancers work with evocative images designed to invite reminiscing and nostalgia in the audience.

"Catching Glimpses," a piece inspired by the phenomena of catching glimpses of colors, shapes, conversations, and other people, is choreographed by senior Kristie Proffit's piece. Dancers Lara Ellinger, Eleni Grove, Aubrey Perlee and Kate Schmidt perform movement that allows the audience to find subtle, yet striking moments within the fluidity of the movement.

Maria Vigliucci, a sophomore dance minor, has created a quintet, "The Path not Forgotten," that explores how friendships change and develop over time. Performing to music from the soundtrack to 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' dancers Katie Bair, Mary Kelly Marsco, Jessica Seigel, Rebecca Schenck and Nicole Talbot use the movement to embody their relationships to each other within the dance.

Cole presents a ballet parody inspired by the comedic work of Ballet Trockadero. Dancers Elizabeth Bollinger, Allison Cartmell, Katie Dean, Drew Holderman, Tony Lai, Chelsea MacNealy, Elizabeth McNamera, James Ramsey, Halle Thompson, and Megan Warner perform a fresh and witty version of the second act of "Swan Lake," cut down from its original time of one hour to less than 25 minutes.

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

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(740) 587-8575