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West
Windsor, N.J. - The Dance Program at Mercer County Community College
invites the community to "Dancing to Connect,"
an original modern dance performance to be held Tuesday, Feb. 2
at Kelsey Theatre, starting at 8 p.m. Presented free of charge,
the event will mark the culmination of an intensive, collaborative
three-day workshop led by Battery Dance Company (BDC), based in
Lower Manhattan, and will feature 10 MCCC Dance students and 10
students from the Mercer County Performing Arts High School. Professional
dancers from BDC will also perform from their modern dance repertoire.
Kelsey Theatre is located on Mercer's West
Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.
According to MCCC Theatre and Dance Program Coordinator Jody Person,
the workshop is part of BDC's award-winning "Dancing to Connect"
program, which has been presented in hundreds of educational institutions
in the United States and abroad. Two members of the company, teaching
artists Bafana Matea and Mayuna Shimizu, will provide students with
"an extraordinary opportunity to choreograph, collaborate and
perform," Person said.
By the end of the workshops, which will run for six hours daily
on Jan. 29, 30 and 31, students will have created solo, duet and
group pieces for the Feb. 2 show. "We want students to get
away from what they learn in the classroom to find their own movement.
It will also be a wonderful experience in team and confidence building."
MCCC President, Dr. Patricia Donohue, has given her full support
to the workshop program. "We strive to give students exceptional
opportunities to pursue their passions and to grow creatively. This
is the kind of experience that will stick with them and inform their
future academic and career direction," she said.
Person notes that each year the Theatre and Dance Program strives
to raise the bar for Mercer students by utilizing the resources
available in nearby New York City. Last year, internationally acclaimed
vocalist and songwriter Vanessa Daou presented a workshop on campus,
while next year the program will feature a workshop in Japanese
modern dance.
"College is the time to grow and be exposed to new ideas and
avenues for self-expression," Person explained. "Workshops
like these help students venture beyond what is safe and familiar
to discover untapped potential. They also make connections and get
practical advice from professionals in the performing arts."
Founded 35 years ago, BDC has become an integral part of the fabric
of New York City, educating children in New York City schools, participating
in international arts exchange programs, and performing for the
public locally, as well as on national and international tours.
The company has produced nearly 100 original dances choreographed
by its founder and artistic director, Jonathan Hollander, in collaboration
with an array of composers and designers as well as its cast of
outstanding dancers. More information about BDC is available at
its website here.
MCCC offers associate degrees in both dance and theatre. To learn
more about MCCC's programs in the performing arts, call 609-570-3524
or visit:
A.A./A.F.A.
in Dance
A.A./A.F.A.
in Theatre
For
more on events at Kelsey Theatre, visit:
2009-10
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Kelsey
Kids Playshops
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