Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Seven works ranging from contemporary ballet to jazz funk will be presented at Wright State University Dance Ensemble’s Spring Dance Concert April 24-27.
A variety of choreographers, including WSU faculty members Gina Gardner-Walther, Ashley Pabst and renowned guest choreographers Stephanie Martinez and Michelle McElveen, will be showcased. The Dance Ensemble is also collaborating with its partner training companies, Dayton Ballet School Ensemble and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2.
Martinez is the founder and artistic director of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre and has received numerous grants and acclaim, with the Chicago Tribune hailing her as a “chameleon” of choreography. Her piece, “World of Another,” unveils the hidden narratives and inner thoughts of those around us, exploring the concept of “othering” — the act of treating someone as an outsider.
“This work examines the invisible divides we create between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ urging us to recognize the shared humanity in those we might otherwise dismiss,” organizers said in a press release.
McElveen, a regional choreographer, has notably performed professionally with Walt Disney Productions, the Dayton Opera, the Sorg and Whitewater Opera Companies, and La Comedia Dinner Theatre. She has taught at Wright State University since 1994 and is a senior lecturer. Her work, “Divenire” (meaning “to become”) is a piece about “our personal journeys to find joy in the face of life’s biggest struggles.”
How to go: 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Dayton. Tickets are priced at $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $5 for students. WSU students can receive free admission with a student ID at the Thursday performance. For tickets or more information, call 937-775-2500 or visit wrightliberalarts.universitytickets.com.
