The University of Texas At Austin Presents New Choreography in FALL FOR DANCE

Under the artistic direction of Dorothy O'Shea Overbey and Gesel Mason, Dance Repertory Theatre returns to the stage in Fall For Dance, presenting new work of striking choreography from professional and student choreographers.

"The works in this concert comment on our shared past, present and future, examining how we as individuals and as a community respond to each other, ourselves, and our surroundings,'" shares co-artistic directors Dorothy O'Shea Overbey and Gesel Mason. "As always, the process of preparing for this concert has been a transformative process for the artists involved, and we hope that our growth brings life and energy to this pivotal cultural moment. We were thrilled to receive an unprecedented number of student choreography applications this year. Our students are pushing themselves to take creative risks, explore new creative processes and make thematic work relating to current social and political events. The dance area seeks to continue to cultivate artist-citizens and the work of this year's Fall For Dance deeply reflects this purpose."

Fall For Dance features work by guest artists Rena Butler (2019 Princess Grace Award), Manuel Vignoulle (veteran of Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet) and Elijah Alhadji Gibson (founder of Social Movement Contemporary Dance), as well as faculty members Dorothy O'Shea Overbey (Red Nightfall Productions) and Gesel Mason, and student choreographers Mackenzie Lawrence (whose work what do you know about ghosts? features text by Libby Carr) and Khorii Tinson.

Highlights include Dorothy O'Shea Overbey's Sinfonia features a collaborative performance with Austin Camerata and was originally performed at The Rollins Theatre (Long Center) in May 2018. "In this work, an ensemble of musicians and dancers share the stage, entering one another's space and relating physically and emotionally," says Overbey. "The experience of the first performances was profound. It is a great luxury to revisit this work and dive deeper in to this historic piece of music composed by 20th century Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich."

Additionally, Gesel Mason's new work Renaissance Futura, began with a question to the cast: Who would you be if you had nothing to worry about? How would you move through the world if you could be "who you really are" without fear of retaliation or reprisal? What might you create? Inspired by recent events, including the recent murders two transgendered women from the Dallas area, Muhlaysia Booker and Chynal Lindsey, Mason sought to depict a sisterhood that valued courage, vulnerability and belonging in defiance of outdated social norms and violence toward "the other." In what feels like a pivotal cultural moment, how might we imagine a 21st century renaissance?

For more information on Fall For Dance please visit JoinTheDrama.org

CALENDAR LISTING

November 12-17, 2019 - The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance presents Fall For Dance at B. Iden Payne Theatre (300 E. 23rd St.), located in the F. Loren Winship Drama Building. A map of the campus:

theatredance.utexas.edu/about/location-directions-parking

Performance times are November 12 at 7:30 p.m. (Preview); November 13 at 7:30 p.m. (Opening); November 14-16 at 7:30 p.m. and November 16-17 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets for performances on November 13-17 ($26 adult, $21 UT faculty and staff, $15 student) are now on sale at authorized ticket outlets, which include the Bass Concert Hall Box Office, most H-E-B stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at JoinTheDrama.org, or by calling (512) 477-6060 or (800) 982-BEVO. Tickets for the preview performance on November 12 ($10 adult, $5 student) are available at the Bass Concert Hall Box Office and F. Loren Winship Building Box Office. Box Office locations and hours: theatredance.utexas.edu/ticketing