W&M Dance Students Take To The Mainstage With New Original Choreography

In the third installment of the 2020-2021 Series, Reaching Out & Leaning In, from William & Mary Theatre and Dance, current students take the lead on all-new modern dance pieces.

Inspired by current events, student choreographers from the Orchesis Modern Dance Company have created an impressive lineup of performances for the virtual stage.

"I've always had really vivid dreams, but they have really gotten more detailed and more frequent since the lockdowns started. I've even had a few that were almost like a music video, complete with costumes and choreography," said Melaina Jacoby, class of '21, describing her inspiration. "My piece is a trip into my dancers' dreams, where they star in their very own 80's-themed music video!"

The student choreographers have found inspiration for their numbers in both real life, and the media. Serial, choreographed by Anna Steinmetz, explores the psychology behind serial killers

"Serial was inspired by my own love of true crime and the shows that are not afraid to investigate infamy such as the Netflix original series Mindhunter and the podcast My Favorite Murder," said Steinmetz on her piece.

Her piece finds balance with "See Through", choreographed by Amy Wolgin and Cameron Lynch. Their piece chooses to find hope during these dark times. Throughout the course of the piece, dancers find connection to each other and to the good things in life to find their happiness within themselves and with each other.

Jacoby, along with others, has found that the virtual stage allows for even more creative freedom with their choreography. While traditional dance performances are live on a static stage, film allows for more dynamic settings that can add to the overall vision and message of the pieces.

"I think the virtual stage has allowed me to be more creative with this piece, as I'm filming in locations other than the Kimball stage," said Jacoby. "I'm able to experiment with videography and other creative elements I've never had the chance to work with before, which has enhanced the "music video" aspect of my piece."

The final production will consist of pieces filmed on location, like Jacoby's, but also performances filmed right on the home stage at the historic Kimball Theatre. The spring installment of the dance series offers students the chance to step forward as future leaders in the dance world, and showcase their original pieces to a wide audience.

"I am very excited to show people that modern dance can have a very broad scope. Hopefully my piece is lighthearted and enjoyable to watch, and maybe even nostalgic for some of our audience!" said Jacoby.

The edited film will be available on-demand for the public from March 25-28. Virtual Passes for Reaching Out & Leaning In 3 are available now for just $7, with access to the performance for the entire weekend. William & Mary students are eligible for one free pass to the show with a student email.

Visit wm.edu/boxoffice or call 757-221-2674 during box office hours to learn more.

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