Grand Valley Dance Program on the move

Dance faculty members at Grand Valley State University have been busy extending their reach beyond campus by hosting a regional conference and preparing for an upcoming Grand Rapids Ballet Company collaboration.

The upcoming Grand Rapids Ballet Company’s “Movemedia” concert series consists of performances by company dancers of contemporary works by six guest choreographers.  Shawn T Bible, assistant professor of dance, and Calin Radulescu, affiliate professor of dance and former GRBC professional dancer, have choreographed pieces for the two-concert series set for March 23-24 and April 6-7. Bible’s “why we write” is included in the March concert and Radulescu’s “Reflections” will be performed in April. Dale Schriemer, professor of voice, will perform in a piece set by Patricia Parker, GRBC artistic director, along with pianist James Barnett in the live music for “Rueckert Song.”

Grand Valley also hosted the American College Dance Festival East-Central Region March 6-10 on the Allendale Campus. The ACDFA is the primary academic teaching and performance conference for dance in higher education. Attendees included Dance Department chairs, faculty members, students, tech crews and accompanists from 26 universities in the Midwest. The festival supports critical analysis of the performance and choreographic process through adjudicated concerts and feedback sessions from professional dancers and choreographers.

The festival culminated in a Gala Concert Saturday evening that featured 12 selected dances that represented the strongest vision of dance out of 43 presented during the festival. Just prior to the concert, Grand Valley President Thomas J. Haas spoke at the faculty reception. He noted how Grand Valley’s Dance Program encourages collaboration across academic disciplines and provides opportunities to explore innovative areas in the dance community at large.