Choreography Showcase at USC's Drayton Hall Theatre Spotlights Original Student Works

The Betsy Blackmon Dance Program at USC will present the Student Choreography Showcase, featuring original works by dance students, December 3-6 at Drayton Hall Theatre. 

Under the direction and mentorship of Senior Instructor Olivia Waldrop and Instructor Christopher Anderson, this bi-annual concert will highlight the choreographic creations of nine dance majors who have developed and refined their works over the fall semester. The students get the experience of not just creating movement, but overseeing the entire visual design, from lighting to costuming. 

“It's an enormous undertaking to create a piece,” says Anderson, “and I think that's one of the things that sometimes is hard to appreciate for an audience, how collaboration on so many different levels is required to achieve a holistic vision for an audience.”

Waldrop concurs, “It's been a great peek behind the curtain for our students to see that choreographing is not just making steps. It's an all-encompassing experience and really rewarding for us to work closely with them on that this semester.”

Among the diverse works presented are: 

• The Rush by Mia Sanderson, a contemporary work described by the choreographer as suggesting “the story of a never-ending cycle of accomplishment, consideration, and realization;”
   
• Ascension by Anna Slade, a contemporary ballet piece inspired by ritualistic religious dances that she says “explores how dance can function as a conduit for spiritual awakening;” and
   
• From me to you by Ja'lene Woods, a contemporary jazz piece about the artist's personal appreciation for gained experience, knowledge, and relationships.

Also contributing choreography are students Alex Carnevale, Jennifer Hanson, Megan Kelly, Caitie Sweeney, TJ Warren, and Jesse Zhang. Lighting design for the works is being created by graduate theatre students Garreth Hayward and Victoria Rickards, and undergraduate theatre major Spade Kambak. 

“The beauty of these shows is that there are a lot of different styles of dance represented,” says Waldrop. “Something I admire about our students is that they try to not repeat the kinds of work they created in the past, especially our second or third-time choreographers. Their works are very different than they've done in the past.”

“It's been exciting, as their mentor, to walk them through different strategies as they work in different genres.”

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