Ohio University’s School of Dance to premiere six new works at the Winter Dance Concert

Ohio University’s School of Dance will present their annual Winter Dance Concert on Feb. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

The performance contains six new works choreographed by School of Dance faculty and national guest artists, including ShaLeigh Comerford and Ali Woerner (Take Root). These works highlight the collaborative efforts of the faculty, students and guest artists.

The new work by Comerford, “their hands, reaching” explores the desire of breaking hive mentality while navigating the desire to retreat into belonging. Each dancer is a completely unique person bumping up against the cultural, societal and familial conditioning that limits us -and simultaneously grows us - while we navigate it. Through the work, the dancers are carving their way towards their own vulnerability and the courage to share their humanness.

“Transit” is an original repertory work of Take Root, premiering in 2015 at the Detroit Dance City Festival. Woerner is the founder and artistic director of Take Root, a professional company-in-residence at Oakland University where she is an associate professor of Dance. The piece is set to an original score created by Jon Anderson, Take Root musical director.

Assistant Professor of Instruction Anthony Alterio’s new work, “Factory Reset,” comes with a warning: WARNING! Performances of “Factory Reset” will attempt to restore audience members to their original system state by erasing all data, settings, and applications that may have been corrupted from viewing and/or experiencing past dance experiences. While a factory reset can seem like a complete start over, it's an effective way for both the performer and viewer to fix persistent bugs, get rid of unwanted apps and dangerous malware, and free up storage space in the body and mind. The main need, however, is often to fix an issue, but it could also be done to restore yourself to its original settings. There is no specific frequency limit to how often you can perform, view, or experience a factory reset.  

“Umber Glow” is Dance Instructor Katherine G. Moore’s new work that looks at what takes shape within encroaching darkness. Performers traverse the space as players in a changing ecosystem, navigating transformations from creature to human and back again— what is decomposing/breaking/falling apart is always simultaneously coming together. As the ensemble performs phrases, improvisations, and movement rituals, they evoke images and energies of physical resilience within a murky landscape.

Professor of Dance Travis D. Gatling’s new work is titled, “…To the Bone.”  This work is inspired by the quote, “Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone,” by American poet and writer Dorothy Parker. It reflects the subtle and sometimes aggressive means by which we try to define our beauty and defend our identity.

“the willow’s branches” is the new work by Assistant Professor of Dance Christi Camper Moore. This piece is an exploration of flow, connection and the ways these can lead us to expand our capacities for attention, articulation and grace. The dancers explore musicality alongside embodied images of the majestic weeping willow, its strength, comfort and shelter from the surrounding landscape. The piece is set to the music of award-winning Italian composer and conductor, Ezio Bosso.

Tickets are $18 for general admission and are available online here. 

Admission is free to OHIO University students with a valid student ID, thanks to Arts for OHIO. Tickets are also available at the door before the performance begins. 

For more information, contact the School of Dance at 740.593.1826 or dance@ohio.edu.

Admission is free to OHIO University students with a valid student ID, thanks to Arts for OHIO. Tickets are also available at the door before the performance begins. 

For more information, contact the School of Dance at 740.593.1826 or dance@ohio.edu.